National Coffee with a Cop Day
Sit down for National Coffee with a Cop Day, always the first Wednesday of October. The idea is simple and specific: officers and neighbors talk over coffee in a public place, with no speeches and no formal agenda, so the only contact is not a traffic stop or a 911 call.
About National Coffee with a Cop Day
History & origins
National Coffee with a Cop Day moves. It is observed on the first Wednesday of October. In 2026 that is Wednesday, October 7.
The program started locally. In March 2011 the Hawthorne Police Department in California, through its Community Affairs Unit, held the first Coffee with a Cop at a neighborhood McDonaldâs. Police Chief Robert Fager had asked for something other than a town-hall meeting. The rule that stuck was âno agenda and no speechesâ: officers sit at tables and talk one-to-one. The model spread to other agencies. By April 2016, after Honolulu Police Department hosted an event, the program was in all 50 states. A nonprofit tied to Hawthorne officers now maintains the national brand and training.
The first National Coffee with a Cop Day was Friday, 7 October 2016, announced by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) as part of National Community Policing Week. The national date later settled on the first Wednesday of October and has been kept there.
This is a U.S. community-policing event date, not a federal holiday. It is not the same as National Coffee Day.
Why it matters
Most people only meet police in a crisis. A cup of coffee in a diner does not fix every problem in American policing, and the day should not be sold as if it does. It does create a low-stakes hour when residents can ask questions, raise a neighborhood issue, or simply put a name to a uniform. Show up if you want that conversation; skip it if you do not.
How to celebrate
Look up a local event on coffeewithacop.com or your police or sheriffâs department page and go. Ask a real question. If you are an officer, sit at a table instead of standing at a podium. Bring a neighbor who has never been to one. If there is no event nearby, the national organizersâ advice is still to keep it informal â coffee, chairs, no program. Do not turn the hour into a photo-op with no conversation.
Facts
- Hawthorne Police Department held the first Coffee with a Cop in March 2011
- The format is informal conversation: no agenda and no speeches
- The first national day was 7 October 2016, with support from the DOJ COPS Office
- The day is now the first Wednesday of October each year
- It is not a U.S. federal holiday, and it is not National Coffee Day
Upcoming dates
- Wednesday, October 7, 2026
- Wednesday, October 6, 2027
- Wednesday, October 4, 2028
- Wednesday, October 3, 2029
- Wednesday, October 2, 2030
Frequently asked questions
When is National Coffee with a Cop Day in 2026?
National Coffee with a Cop Day in 2026 falls on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.
What is National Coffee with a Cop Day?
It is a community-policing date when officers and residents meet in a public place over coffee, without a formal program. The point is ordinary conversation, not a speech.
Who started National Coffee with a Cop Day?
Hawthorne Police Department in California started the Coffee with a Cop program in 2011. The first national day in 2016 was organized with the Justice Departmentâs COPS Office. The national date is now the first Wednesday of October.
How do you celebrate National Coffee with a Cop Day?
Find a listed local event and sit down with an officer over coffee. Ask questions; skip the podium. If none is listed, check with your police or sheriffâs department.
Is National Coffee with a Cop Day an official holiday?
No. It is not a U.S. federal holiday. It is a scheduled community event date used by many law-enforcement agencies. Offices and schools follow their usual Wednesday schedules.
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