It’s not often that you have the opportunity to sit down with a police officer and discuss issues that concern you, and the police rarely have time for casual conversation while they go out on calls and perform their other duties to protect the community. But the desire to chat is there, as demonstrated by the dozens of residents who came to the inaugural Coffee With Cops event at the Wayland Council on Aging on Sept. 18.
Residents Pauline DiCesare and Ingrid Kannel sat with Officer Jeffrey McCray and talked about dining at the new restaurant Terrain, as well as his hobbies, which include spending time with his family and practicing Brazilian Jujitsu. He explained that many officers were involved with the sport which could help them handle a physical altercation if it arose on the job.
Alexia Obar sat with School Resource Officer Shane Bowles and brought up the high number of eBikes and motorized scooters on the sidewalks. At the same time the star of the morning, Comfort Dog Archie, snoozed comfortably on the floor nearby.
Conversations ranged from town policies to hobbies and everything in between. The impetus for the gathering was to build healthy connections between residents and officers.
“[Acting] Chief [Mark] Hebert and I were both born and raised in the town of Wayland, and we have a strong personal connection and vested interest in this community,” said Detective Sgt. Tyler Castagno, the event’s organizer. “Over the past few years, we’ve welcomed several new officers who may not yet have established ties to the community, while at the same time many new families have moved into Wayland. We felt this would be a great opportunity for residents to meet some of our newer officers and put a name with a face.”
Residents were able to focus on the subjects that were important to them. Karen Blunfield spoke with Officer Tim Henderson, the department’s civil rights officer, and asked about the presence of I.C.E. in Wayland. She was relieved to learn that there is not a large ICE presence in town.
Another resident asked Officer Rachel Pugh what a typical day on the force was like.
“Well, today I’m coming from an automobile accident,” she said. “More often, I spend the time with traffic stops and reports.”
During the 90-minute event, residents enjoyed a breakfast spread and circulated from table to table, connected with the officers who had their biographies with them showing the number of years they worked in Wayland, their specific role, and their hobbies and interests.
Hebert reported that he had great conversations with the guests and was even able to resolve a resident’s issue on the spot.
In the future, the department hopes to host or be a part of as many community events as possible. The community policing model and philosophy are incredibly important to the department and these events help build trust, strengthen relationships with residents and business owners, and create meaningful opportunities for conversation.
“Ultimately, we hope to gain a better understanding of the needs and concerns of the community we serve,” Castagno said. “By building these relationships, we can be more proactive, identify community issues earlier, and work together to address them before they become larger problems.”
