‘Coffee with a Cop’ returns after COVID pause

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – After being gone for two years due to COVID, the “Coffee with a Cop” event is back in Albuquerque, giving local citizens a chance to speak with cops in their neighborhood.

Community members were encouraged to join APD officers at a local McDonald’s Tramway and Central for coffee and breakfast treats to try to have an open discourse on what’s going on in their neighborhoods.

“They’ve been the most informative events that I’ve been to,” said a Foothills resident. 

Kenric Garcia, owner and operator of numerous McDonald’s in town, partnered with City Councilor Renee Grout to get this program up and running again. 

Garcia says this event is important in helping lower the crime rate in different parts of town.

“We have coffee with officers, we like to get together as a community member, as a business owner, local McDonald’s owner, and we like to partner with our police officers on issues of helping crime get lower helping to get a nice safe area for the community,” said Garcia.  

While citizens and officers can be divided for different reasons, one APD officer says meetups like this can help clear some of the hurdles between the community and law enforcement. 

“I’ve been able to talk to quite a few different people, I feel like right now there’s somewhat of a traditional barrier between citizens and police officers so I feel like ‘Coffee with a Cop’, we’re able to break down that barrier and hear what concerns people have and what questions they have,” said APD officer Precious Cadna.  

And events like these are nothing new for some local citizens in the metro.

“I love coming out to these things. You get to meet with a sergeant, and his crew, the Foothills crew and you get to ask all the questions you need,” said a Foothills resident.

With the way crime in Albuquerque has picked up, different events and initiatives like these are popping up with the intention to help reduce and fight crime in the city.