Through community outreach the Powell Police Department strives to be seen as more than patrol cars on city streets.

The department recently held three events: Faith and Blue on Friday, the first annual Improv Cook Off on Saturday and Coffee with a Cop on Tuesday morning. 

“The law enforcement-community relationship is everything,” Powell Police Chief Roy Eckerdt said. 

He added that the police can only carry out their job properly with the support of the public. Eckerdt said community interaction is essential to be able to address issues in the community. Friday’s second annual Faith and Blue, which is a three-year-old national initiative, was an opportunity for the community to interact and share a meal with the police department as well as religious organizations. The idea of the event is that the combination of law enforcement agencies and religious organizations strengthen a community.

The following day officers moved to Yellowstone Motors for the first annual Improv Cook Off against Powell’s Emergency Medical Services. The fundraiser event pitted the two agencies against each other to raise money for organizations of their choice. The police raised money for Crisis Intervention Services and EMS raised money for Backpack Blessings. According to the Facebook page of Yellowstone Motors who organized the event, Powell police won after raising a total of $2,680.50 including matches made by Toyota.

On Tuesday, Eckerdt, officer Cody Bradley and investigator Chris Wallace went to the Powell Senior Center for Coffee with a Cop. Eckerdt said before COVID-19 restrictions, Coffee with a Cop events would be held monthly at different locations within the community. Now that Coffee with a Cop is returning, the event will now occur quarterly at different locations in the community. Eckerdt said the event can be difficult for some to attend because it often takes place during work hours but is an opportunity for the police department to have conversations and interact with the community as well as “dispel rumors” or explain why certain events are carried out the way they are. Eckerdt said they hope to be able to hold evening versions of the event to accommodate members of the community who may not be able to attend. 

Coffee with a Cop has been officially happening in Powell since roughly 2016 but has been a practice for decades, as it’s not uncommon for people to see officers having coffee and engaging with the community.

Carrol Johnson, who attended the event with her husband Dave, enjoyed chatting with Eckerdt and Bradley. Carrol said they appreciate and support Powell police and outside of attending police community events will occasionally bake treats for the hardworking officers.

Eckerdt quoted Robert Peel, a forefather of modern policing, “the public are the police and the police are the public.”