After a really dismal couple of years, brimming with allegations of racial profiling, controversial shootings and a police chief being forced out, it seems the Durham Police Department is looking to put out a few good vibes for the moment.
Per Durham Magazine, we learned that city police officers were handing out tickets for “good” behavior on Thursday, in an operation at the pedestrian crosswalk at Geer and Foster streets.
If you were spotted using the crosswalk properly, officers would hand out a coupon for a free cup of coffee at Cocoa Cinnamon.
Kammie Michael, spokeswoman for the Durham Police Department, said this was simply a “one-time” operation, so stop crossing back and forth in the crosswalk in front of Cocoa Cinnamon looking for free coffee.
Frankly, I’m after those preposterously amazing cups of hot chocolate anyway.
This cuddlier type of police operation—owing to the “carrot is better than the stick” theory—is not unprecedented.
Chapel Hill police did something similar last month, announcing that they would begin distributing tickets at set times and places for following pedestrian and traffic laws, the idea being that not every chat with a police officer should be such a bad thing.
Update: The Daily Tar Heel later reported that the Chapel Hill Police Department postponed their “good ticket” initiative based on public feedback.
