Draper residents can sit down with their neighborhood police officers over free coffee and hot chocolate Saturday, Aug. 15, at Harmon's grocery store, 672 E. 11400 S.

The Coffee With a Cop event runs from 9 a.m. to noon and is free and open to all. No agenda, no speeches. Officers will be available to answer questions, hear concerns or just chat.

Draper City announced the event Monday, Aug. 10, on its official social media account, describing it as a chance for residents to meet with Draper City Police officers and ask questions over complimentary coffee and hot chocolate.

Coffee With a Cop is a national program backed by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. It launched in 2011 at the Hawthorne, California, Police Department and has since spread to all 50 states and multiple countries. The format is deliberately casual: officers and residents talk one-on-one in a neutral setting rather than meeting only during emergencies or traffic stops.

Retired Sgt. Chris Cognac, who co-founded the program in Hawthorne, told the Peace Officers Research Association of California in 2022 that it "serves to humanize officers and break down barriers."

The timing puts the event just days before the new school year begins, giving Draper families a low-pressure way to connect with the officers who patrol their neighborhoods. Drop in for five minutes or stay the full three hours.

What to know

• What: Coffee With a Cop
• When: Saturday, Aug. 15, 9 a.m. to noon
• Where: Harmon's, 672 E. 11400 S., Draper
• Cost: Free (complimentary coffee and hot chocolate)

Coming up

Draper's next public safety community event is the Lights & Ladders Safety Fair on Thursday, Sept. 10, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Draper Park. The free fair, hosted by both the Fire and Police departments, features fire truck displays, live demonstrations, a police command center tour and hands-on fire extinguisher training.