Coffee with a Cop

From people keen to become police officers to those wanting to discuss concerns in their neighbourhood - Napier folk enjoyed the opportunity to connect with their local police at the annual Coffee with a Cop.

The initiative is a partnership between Police in Hawke's Bay, Safer Napier and Napier City Council and aims to give the community easy access to police outside of the formal police station setting.

Five cafes across Napier were chosen, with officers stationed at each and giving out free City Council-sponsored coffees to those keen to have a chat.

Acting Sergeant Bruce Miller says there was a great turnout across the city, with more than 160 people taking up the opportunity to have a coffee with a cop.

"It's fair to say we had a wide range of topics discussed by those dropping in to see us, from the upcoming gang legislation to recruiting," says Bruce.

He says there were some great stories coming through of kids keen to hear more about what's involved in a police officer's role, little ones getting high fives and fist pumps to some kids being nervous to meet a police officer but leaving feeling glad they came along.

Bruce says the feedback from the public to the event was incredibly positive, with many saying it was a great opportunity to build a relationship with police and have a chat in a relaxed setting.