Get to know the police in a different way over a cup of coffee and have a relaxed chat with officers: The citizens of Mönchengladbach were offered this opportunity on Monday, March 4, 2024.

As part of the NRW police's "Coffee with a Cop" campaign, officers from the security service, the criminal investigation department, the motorcycle squadron and the responsible district officer offered hot drinks to interested passers-by at Sonnenhausplatz in the city center. In front of the historic "Café-Mobil", guests were able to ask the officers questions and discuss various topics. Our recruitment consultant was also on hand to answer questions about the application process.

At around midday, Minister of the Interior Herbert Reul also joined us for a coffee and got a first-hand impression of the event, which took place from 10 am to 4 pm and was very popular: around 400 hot drinks, from cappuccino to hot chocolate, were sold at the counter of the vintage truck, which has been touring various authorities across the country since October 2021 and has now made its first guest appearance in Mönchengladbach.

The idea for the format originally came from the USA. Here, local "cops" have been offering citizens a coffee for several years. In NRW, "Coffee with a Cop" is part of the "NRW shows respect" campaign. With this, the Ministry of the Interior wants to set an example against violence against police officers. By creating a relaxed atmosphere, the police want to get closer to the public and break down inhibitions.