If you could sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee with a Sheriff’s deputy, what would you talk about? Deputies in Santee wanted to know so they invited folks to stop by a neighborhood coffee shop called the Coffee Corner and chat.
The idea was to create a friendly, casual way to get to know each other and find out about residents’ concerns. And what better place to meet than your friendly neighborhood coffeehouse complete with the roasted aroma of fresh coffee, rustic tables and comfy couches? On hand were deputies, crime prevention specialists and Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS) detectives.
As everyone sipped their favorite brew, residents and deputies enjoyed one-on-one conversations. The deputies were ready to talk about any concern, but surprisingly enough, most patrons came by to say thank you for keeping Santee a safe place to live.
Recent retiree and 20-year Santee resident Frank Bathrick was among them. His son is a deputy in Riverside so he knows what it takes to do the job. After talking with Lt. Christine Robbins, Bathrick now plans to help local deputies by checking out the Sheriff’s Senior Volunteer Patrol program.
Joy Davis is the Assistant Manager for a nearby apartment complex with 256 units. “Our biggest problems are with noise,” said Davis. “Tenants will throw loud parties and heavy drinking will sometimes lead to fighting.” On occasion, drugs are a problem. Two people at the complex were arrested for drug dealing.
Crime Prevention Specialist Nancy Ortiz told Davis about the Crime Free Multi-housing Program and lease addendum. Rather than spending months to evict a problem tenant, the renter’s signature on a lease addendum allows apartment managers to evict them within days if certain crimes are committed on the property. Davis made a note to attend the next training.
While formal community meetings are one way to find out residents’ concerns, deputies discovered they usually learn more after they wrap up. That’s when residents approach deputies and talk to them face to face. The coffee chat is a comfortable way to do just that.
“From a cop’s standpoint, it lets the community know what we do,” said Sheriff’s Deputy Karl Miller. “Sometimes that gets lost.” Miller is referring to residents who’ve reported a problem and don’t hear the outcome. Miller wants to reassure them every complaint is taken seriously and that deputies must sometimes work behind the scenes before it’s resolved. If a resident has a question on whatever happened to a particular problem, Deputy Miller can help with answers.
Another “Coffee with the Community” event is planned for Lakeside Tuesday, Feb. 28. More information (PDF)
