Coffee with a Cop held throughout Capital Region

WATERVLIET, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Police officers from several local departments visited coffee shops on Wednesday for National Coffee with a Cop Day. Officers from Watervliet stopped by the Stewart's Shops on Second Avenue.

The event became a national program eight years ago, and officers said it has helped them build trust within the communities they serve.

"We're trying to interact with the community, make police officers more approachable, trying to get people more comfortable with seeing us in the public," Watervliet Patrolman Timothy Burns said.

The event also helps with recruitment efforts. Police said they had a number of people ask about the qualifications and training process for becoming an officer.