Stawell Neighbourhood House hosted the first gathering of "cuppa with a cop" on Tuesday.
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Stawell police officers will meet with residents every second Monday in a bid to inform people on what police can do for them and the community.
Acting Senior Sergeant Simon Grant and Leading Senior Constable Toni Chegwin are members of the Wimmera Proactive Policing Unit and were the representatives at the first session.
"We focus on community engagement and being proactive in the community," Leading Senior Constable Chegwin said.
"The Stawell Neighbourhood House is a perfect place to come and meet with people.
"There is a lot of the community here and different groups which is great to see."
Stawell Neighbourhood House coordinator Lisa Arnfield worked on the idea with Acting Senior Sergeant Grant to help break down barriers and perceptions.
"We want our community to understand that our police are there all the time, not only when things go wrong," Mrs Arnfield said.
"We are helping to change the perception.
"Everyone is welcome to a light morning tea and a social cuppa with members from our local Police."
Leading Senior Constable Chegwin said meeting people in an informal setting can suit members of the public.
"People can come and have a chat and ask questions," she said.
"This saves residents needing to go to the station - some people can be hesitant in coming to see us.
"It was a good turn out for our first session and we encourage people to come along and get to know their local Police Officers."
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