October 7 is National Coffee with a Cop Day. It is a day all about supporting local law enforcement, coffee is optional. Just going out and voicing support for local crime fighters is enough to celebrate this national day of recognition. The day was first celebrated in 2016.

The public’s relationship with law enforcement has been shaky because of the behavior of some poor police officers. It takes just a few bad officers to convince the public that the whole force is corrupt, but the majority of officers uphold the intentions they swore to when they joined the force: to protect the public. It’s getting harder and harder for them to do their job when there are members of the public who try to keep them down.

There have been situations that give the public a right to be concerned, and publicity about the impact of police brutality on the African-American community has challenged the operation of the force. While these acts are unjustifiable acts of a handful of officers, the public has an obligation to help find a peaceful solution. The rioting and looting has put more and more police on edge, and responding to a call with little knowledge of the sentiment can make them feel nervous, causing them to act out of character. Ending this cycle of hostility is important, and sitting down with a local officer over a cup of coffee or a soda can give people a chance to get to know their local law enforcement.

Even without a beverage, it is easy to become comfortable with our local police. Walking up to them and saying, “Hi!” and asking about their day (as long as they are not in a situation or seem busy) is a great step to achieving this goal. Getting to know cops can also allow you to feel safer around them, trusting them to not act out of line.

The creators of National Coffee with a Cop Day wanted to “encourage communication and positive interaction between law enforcement agencies and the public.” On this day, many coffee shops and cafes offer free coffee for customers in law enforcement and encourage people to grab a coffee and interact with them to learn more about each other. Their website has a calendar to help you try to find an event near you.

Coffee with a Cop Day is really about encouraging positive interactions with law enforcement, and in times like these where cops are being painted as the bad guys, they could really use the positivity. What are you ready to do to see the good?