When Lathrop residents come out to the new Starbucks on Golden Valley Parkway on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon for Lathrop Police Services’ installment of “National Coffee With A Cop Day” they’ll get an extra treat – the chance to meet the City of Lathrop’s newest Chief of Police. 

On the same day a similar event will take place in Manteca at the Starbucks at Stadium Retail Center from 8:30 to 10 a.m..

More than a year after he was named as the Acting Chief of Lathrop Police Services, Ryan Biedermann – who has managed the day-to-day operations of the department in the absence of former chief James Hood who has retired from the county – has officially been promoted to helm the department for the foreseeable future. 

The youngest chief that has ever been assigned to the city, Biedermann hopes that the community will come out to get to know him and his deputies in an environment that is designed to create bonds in the community that will improve things for both the deputies and those they are sworn to protect. 

“It’s a great opportunity to meet local law enforcement and talk about issues in the community without calling 911,” Biedermann said. “It’s a chance to get to know your local law enforcement and meet the new chief.”

The Starbucks – which just opened at 16538 Golden Valley Parkway as the first drive-thru coffee shop to serve residents on the west side of I-5 – will host the event on Wednesday, Oct. 2 from 10 a.m. to noon. The entire community is invited to the participate and will be attended by Biedermann and his staff as a way to build relationships in the community. 

A National event being held across the country, other local law enforcement agencies will also participate in the Coffee With A Cop Event on Wednesday as well. The Manteca Police Department will be hosting residents at the Starbucks located at 2168 Daniels Street inside of the Stadium Center. San Joaquin County Supervisor Tom Patti will also be honoring local law enforcement in the community on the same day. 

While the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office provides law enforcement protection to the City of Lathrop on a contract basis, the mission has long been to adopt a Community Oriented Policing model that looks to build bridges to the community that will be beneficial in a community’s time of need. 

While the majority of interactions with law enforcement come when somebody is either being pursued or has been a victim, events like the one scheduled for Wednesday take those elements off the table to provide a human element to the profession and show the community that officers are in fact on duty to protect them and want to do the best job that they can while doing so. 

For additional information about the event contact Lathrop Police Services at 209.959.5551. 

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.