Stop by, have Coffee with a Cop

Laguna Beach Police Chief Laura Farinella and other department employees plan to be at the Starbucks on North Coast Highway on Wednesday afternoon to answer questions during the city’s first Coffee with a Cop gathering, according to a news release.

The event, which begins at 2 p.m., offers residents an opportunity to learn more about the department in a casual setting over a free cup of coffee.

Most contacts between residents and officers are made during emergency situations, not always the most effective time for relationship building with the community, the release said.

Coffee with a Cop is a national initiative supported by the U.S. Department of Justice’s office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

Similar events are being held across the county, as law enforcement agencies strive to make lasting connections with the communities they serve.

Starbucks is located at 180 N. Coast Hwy., at the intersection with Broadway Street.

For more information, contact Capt. Darin Lenyi at [email protected] or at (949) 497-0375.

—Bryce Alderton

Twitter: @AldertonBryce