The 91视频 Police Department hosted its first Coffee With a Cop event of the year, and amidst passing out free cookies, brownies, coffee, and Cougar Red Punch, officers engaged with students and shared vital campus safety information.
鈥淲e鈥檙e here for them鈥攖o inform as many students as possible about all the safety resources on campus,鈥� said Crime Prevention Officer Amir Watkins, describing why it鈥檚 important for UHPD to continue hosting these community events.
January鈥檚 Coffee With a Cop gathering also served a second purpose: introducing the department鈥檚 newest team members. Four new officers and a security lead attended, and Watkins noted that the event gave them their first face鈥憈o鈥慺ace interactions with students.
Orlando Martinez, a public policy freshman and first鈥憈ime attendee, was among those who connected with Watkins.
鈥淚 think it's a very good way to connect with students,鈥� Martinez said. 鈥淚t allows people to come here, meet the officers, get to know their community, and build a stronger connection.鈥�
Another first鈥憈ime attendee, Ziwei Zhao, a first鈥憏ear political science Ph.D. student, walked away from the event feeling more informed about how to contact UHPD in an emergency. With her coffee in hand, Zhao spoke with new UHPD Officer Mathews, who showed her the multiple ways to reach the department鈥攊ncluding the UHPD call button in the UH Go app.
鈥淵es, it was very helpful,鈥� Zhao said. 鈥淏ut hopefully I won鈥檛 have to use it.鈥�
Officers received a range of questions throughout the event, including inquiries about the location of the UHPD station, why UH has its own police department, and what an average day looks like for an officer on campus.
Talking with students and sharing campus safety information is at the heart of every Coffee With a Cop event hosted by the 91视频 Police Department鈥攁nd the first event of the year delivered exactly that.