Meet & Greet
Residents can chat it up with members of the Cape Coral police, and help to support local youth programs, during an engagement event next week.
The Cape Coral Police De-partment has partnered with Nice Guys Pizza and Beer Lounge to host Pizza With the Police Tuesday from 5-7 p.m. at the restaurant. The public is encouraged to come out.
Lt. Dana Coston explained that it is part of the CCPD’s community engagement program. He added that the event is similar to Coffee With a Cop, which officials have held several of over the years.
“We wanted to try something different, something that might target a younger crowd,” Coston said.
He noted that it is the first Pizza With a Cop event for the department.
“We’re trying to get ahold of a different sector of the city, a different audience,” Coston said.
Police Chief Dave Newlan will be on hand with some members of the command staff.
“They’ll have the district resource coordinators and zone officers,” he said.
Residents are welcome to eat and chat it up, ask general law enforcement questions or more.
“It can be specific questions that people have about what’s going on in their neighborhood,” Coston said. “We’re just making ourselves available – trying to reach every area of the community we can.”
He noted that the venue is relatively small, so the setting will be intimate.
“It’ll just be a really relaxed good time for people to come out and meeting their officers,” Coston said.
In addition to the meet-and-eat, Nice Guys offered to do something to help support some of the CCPD’s programs, specifically Do The Right Thing and the newly restarted Police Athletic League programs.
Coston explained that the restaurant has pinball machines its patrons can play.
“They will match and donate the proceeds from their pinball games that night,” he said.
The Do The Right Thing program promotes and recognizes Cape Coral students who do good within their community, while the Police Athletic League serves as a mentorship and a scholarship program.
The department has announced the event on social media.
“Our Facebook page has close to 90 people interested,” Coston said.
“We’d love to fill the restaurant and keep it full for those two hours,” he added.
For additional information, visit: capecops.com or facebook.com/CapePD/.
Nice Guys Pizza and Beer Lounge is at 1334 Cape Coral Parkway, E.