Most months in West Jordan, the city police department hosts the event “Cookies with a Cop” for its officers and the community to connect outside of a traffic stop or noise complaint, where the uniting factor is a cookie.

On Aug. 7 at 10 a.m., the department will host the event with the SWAT team at Veteran’s Memorial Park where the community can come get to know the officers and ask questions.

“This event will show the community our SWAT team,” Sergeant Andrew Hercules, the department’s community outreach supervisor, wrote in an email. “SWAT will bring some of their vehicles and many of the tools they may use during their
operations.”

Previous Cookies with a Cop events have focused on different teams within the department including the canine officers and motorcycle officers doing different activities like reading books or playing sports. 

Chief Ken Wallentine, who is from the South, emphasized how these types of food-related community outreach events can open up communication avenues and help build relationships between the police and community members.

“Food brings people together,”
Wallentine said. λ