Listen: Richfield police host 'Coffee with a cop'
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At Rosa's Kitchen in Richfield, Minn., about 10 cops gathered around tables Wednesday morning as they waited for people to show up.
They were there for "Coffee with a Cop," a Richfield Police Department initiative that's aimed at connecting residents with the officers who patrol their streets.
"It's really important in light of everything going on that we really make that effort to engage in the community," Lt. Mike Flaherty said.
Departments across the Twin Cities have been hosting events like this in efforts to bring residents and police officers together.
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Richfield planned their meetup a few months ago, but Rosa's is just four miles south of where Justine Ruszczyk was shot and killed by Minneapolis police two weeks ago. The incident wasn't far from people's minds.
Some of the residents who showed up Wednesday wanted to talk about it — and about the use of body cameras in local police departments.
Others were there to introduce themselves — and to ask about the department's training and policies.
Click on the audio player above to hear the full story.