MADISON – If you happened to drive by White Bison Coffee and Twice Daily on Graphics Drive in Madison on Wednesday you might have noticed a large police presence. No, it was not an emergency situation. White Bison hosted the annual “Coffee with a Cop” with the Madison Police Department.

Coffee with a Cop is a day dedicated to encourage communication and positive interactions between law enforcement agencies and the public.

A White Bison Coffee spokesperson said the day is important to them because they strive to strengthen the relationships between police officers and the citizens they serve, providing the opportunity for people to get to know their local police officers.

Below are some photos from the event.

How it all started:

Coffee with A Cop was launched in Hawthorne, California in 2011 when Officers from the Hawthorne Police Department were looking for ways to interact more successfully with the citizens they served each day.

Community policing has long been considered a framework for establishing trust between the community and the police. However, over time the character and composition of our nation’s communities have changed due to shifting demographics, more commuters, and the introduction of different communication methods such as websites and social media.

The Hawthorne Police Department hit upon a simple plan to break through the barriers that have been built over the years–a cup of coffee. Coffee with a Cop events are now held in all 50 states and is one of the most successful community oriented policing programs across the country. The program has also expanded to outside the Unites States to Canada, Europe, Australia, Africa, and Latin America.

The key to Coffee with a Cop’s growing success is that it opens the door for interactions outside of the crisis situations that typically bring law enforcement officers and community members together.