Police pitmasters
With drug-sting money, Sunrise cops host pop-up barbecues.
SUNRISE — Police in Sunrise are grilling more than suspects -- they’re putting burgers and hot dogs to the fire and giving them out free to residents throughout the city.
The pop-up barbecues, paid for with money from drug stings, are a different way to serve the public. And they’re paying off in better community relations, police say.
“We’re not responding to a problem – we’re trying to get better,” Police Chief John Brooks said. “And even though I think we have a really good relationship with the community, you can always get better.”
Sunrise uses social media to tell people when and where they’re holding the pop-up party.
“It’s amazing to see young kids come up with their mom or dad,” said Major Robert Voss, who runs the program. “At first they’re hesitant. And by the end, they’re giving us a hug goodbye.
The police department spends about $500 on burgers and hot dogs for each pop-up barbecue, buying them in bulk from Sam’s Club. Cops play cook at least once a month on two supersized grills set up on the sidewalk.
Sunrise police hosted their first pop-up barbecue a year ago in a predominantly black neighborhood and found a surprise hit on their hands, Voss said. The event, which moves to different neighborhoods every month, creates quite a buzz.
“We go through 700 to 800 meals in just two hours,” Voss said. “We’ll fire off a tweet an hour before to let people know,
and they’ll show up and call up their friends.”
Mourice “Mo” Hylton, 33, says he’s become a pop-up barbecue regular after ending up at the first one by chance.
“Police were grilling and serving hot dogs and shaking hands and kissing babies,” he said. “They were socializing and having fun with people, not arresting them.”
Like Sunrise, Fort Lauderdale police officers held their first popup barbecue a year ago. Their next one is set for Aug. 4 at BJs Wholesale Club, 5100NWNinth Ave.
“Thepatrol officers in our operation division got together and did it one weekend,” Fort Lauderdale Detective Tracy Figone said. “The goalwas to interact with the community.”
Most agencies don’t host popup barbecues, but they can help breakdownbarriersbetweencops and the communities they serve, Voss says. So far, they seem to beworking. One man stopped in for a burger and ended up giving police a tip that might help solve a violent crime, Voss said.
“A homeowner was beaten and robbed during a home invasion,” Voss said. “He said he knew who we should be looking at. We had nothing to go on. He gave us a name and we gave it to the detective.”
Sunrise police plan to host another pop-up barbecue in late August or early September.