KirbyAndersen.com

One of the highlights of my day was taking a Starbucks traveler and a box of various killer coffee cakes to our police headquarters. Over the years, I’ve worked at building a great relationship with the chief and the other officers. They’re a great bunch and like most cops, do the tough stuff day in and day out without much thanks. Kind of like church ministry sometimes.

Actually, I’m not sure if they’re supposed to take donations like that - but I didn’t care. The department dispatcher, Rose, didn’t look like she knew what to do with all the treats so I just told her to make sure she got her pick first.

The last couple of years our church has also made a couple of donations to the police for equipment they really needed but didn’t make budget approval. A few weeks ago, I presented them with a check from our church for $1,500 to go towards new digital cameras for their squad cars and a portable radio. Another really good day.

We’ve opened up our church building to the department for training meetings, drills, etc. They know they have an open invitation to use our facilities without charge just for asking.

The result is a great relationship with influential community servant-leaders. Officers will often come visit Oneighty, our youth ministry, on Wednesday evenings. They do their paperwork in our parking lot - I love having them hang around the property after hours!

So, if you haven’t met your community’s Chief of Police, offer to take him to coffee. He’ll probably have to buy his own coffee - department policy - but the important thing is to begin to build a relationship. Ask how you can assist them; what do they see as unmet needs in the community where your church might have an impact. Show them the courtesy of advance notice for special events. Extend an invitation to them to use your facilities as they may need. And speak highly of them in your church and promote respect for their authority. It’s Bible, you know.

What other ways have you shown appreciation to your local police?