Santa Monica cafe gets police officers as servers for a day

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (KABC) -- For one day, the OP Cafe in Santa Monica was turned into the COP Cafe.

The Santa Monica Police Department tried out a new outreach program called "Served by the Badge." Nine police officers and several SMPD staff waited tables at the cafe, serving up breakfast and smiles.

For the officers, it was a chance to reach out to the people they serve, by literally serving them.

Twenty percent of the proceeds went to the SMPD's Explorer Program. The program allows young men and women to gain experience in law enforcement. The SMPD set up a booth to answer any questions, and brought out one of their vintage cop cars.

"Served by the Badge" is an expansion of the popular "Coffee with a Cop" program, where officers visit a coffee shop to mingle and meet customers. The OP Cafe provided backup, allowing the officers to take time and chat with customers.

The OP Cafe gives a 50 percent discount to on-duty police every day to thank them for their service.