On Wednesday, October 1, Burrowes Elementary School opened its doors not only to students and families but also to the community and the Lancaster Township Police Department for the 9th Annual National Coffee with a Cop Day. For Lancaster Township, the gathering marked an important milestone. It was the department’s first Coffee with a Cop, and with their official launch in January 2025, it also served as one of their opportunities to meet the community they now serve.
Coffee with a Cop was first created in 2011 by officers in Hawthorne, California, who were searching for new ways to connect with residents beyond the typical police encounters that happen during emergencies or crises. The idea was a cup of coffee, a table, and open conversation. Since then, the program has grown into a nationwide initiative recognized across all 50 states and even internationally, providing a consistent framework for building trust through everyday interactions. National Coffee with a Cop Day, first celebrated in 2016 during National Community Policing Week, is now held annually on the first Wednesday of October.
For Lancaster Township, the timing could not have been more fitting. As a brand-new department, many residents may not yet realize they now have their own dedicated local officers. Coffee with a Cop at Burrowes ES was an introduction, not through a press release or formal announcement, but through conversation. Officers were able to greet parents as they dropped off children, answer questions about the new department, and simply listen to the concerns and hopes of the people they serve. Adults enjoyed complimentary coffee, while the younger guests were offered juice boxes, small gestures that helped make the morning feel inclusive and welcoming.
The event also reflected the broader network of support that surrounds SDoL schools. Alongside Lancaster Township Police, members of the local fire department and government officials were present, showing students and families that public safety is a collective effort. For Burrowes, hosting the event highlighted the school’s role as more than a place of learning and emphasized the community school model. Schools are natural gathering spaces for neighborhoods, places where relationships can be built not only between teachers and students but between families and community partners.
Dr. Alex Rohrer, senior community school director, reflected on the significance of the day, “as a new department, this was an important first step to meet the community, and Burrowes was the perfect place to start. Our families got to connect with local officers in a positive way, and the officers had the chance to build trust from the very beginning of their service here.”
That sense of trust is at the heart of the program. Across the nation, Coffee with a Cop has proven that the simple act of sitting down together can break through barriers created by shifting demographics, busier lifestyles, and reliance on digital communication. At Burrowes, it created space for families to know the officers in their community by name and face, and for officers to better understand the people and neighborhoods they serve.
For the School District of Lancaster, the event was a demonstration of how schools can help weave together the threads of community. When families, educators, law enforcement, and local leaders gather under one roof, the result is stronger relationships, safer neighborhoods, and a clearer path forward for the children who watch and learn from these connections.
This first cup of coffee together at Burrowes is just the beginning. As Lancaster Township Police establish their presence in the community, opportunities like this will continue to build bridges. And as a district, we remain committed to providing the spaces where those connections can take root and grow. For more photos, visit us on Facebook.
