Sequim community members were keen to drink a cup of Joe with Sequim Police officers at the first Coffee with a Cop.

Starbucks in the Sequim Village Marketplace, 1095 W. Washington St., hosted the informal gathering in the early afternoon on Oct. 23 to bring officers and residents together. Sequim Police Chief Sheri Crain said Starbucks staff approached them about doing it, and she’d be open to doing it again possibly after work hours so more people could come.

“It’s nice to have a business engage us,” Crain said.

She was one of four Sequim police officers to attend along with Staff Sgt. Sean Madison, Sgt. Dave Campbell and Officer Maris Larsen.

Crain said people didn’t bring up policing issues, but rather they just wanted to engage and/or seek safety advice.

The Hawthorne Police Department in Hawthorne, Calif., hosted the first Coffee with a Cop event in March 2011.

For more information, visit coffee withacop.com. Contact Sequim Police Department, 152 W. Cedar St., at 360-683-7227.

Roni Lavatai, on left, speaks with Sequim Police officer Maris Larsen during Coffee with a Cop on Oct. 23 in the Sequim Starbucks. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash