By Kimberly Hopson
L’Observateur

LAPLACE – The St. John the Baptist Sheriff’s Office is offering the parish residents the chance to get out, get involved and get answers with “The Faces Behind the Sheriff’s Department” meet and greet.
Sheriff Mike Tregre and deputies will be at PJ’s Coffee on Airline Highway in LaPlace today from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. to answer questions and provide the citizens of the parish with the correct contacts for their needs.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, there is no dress code, and this is not a press event — the meet and greet is intended to help the citizens feel comfortable with their local law enforcement.
Tregre said he feels it is important to establish a bond with the community for the sake of solving crimes. The idea is that if the community and law enforcement have a connection, crimes will not go unsolved or unreported.
“Mike wants to stay in the practice of being approachable and being tangible to community,” said the sheriff’s wife, Tanyia Tregre. “He wants to break down that wall between police officers and the community.”
Tregre decided on PJ’s because the shop has been supportive of the community in the past.
If the meet and greet is well received, Tregre hopes to make it a regular event.
Those who can’t make it out to the initial meet and greet date can stop by PJ’s on one of the additional scheduled dates: Jan. 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., Jan. 23 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Jan. 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. The Sheriff’s Office has invited all members of the community to come by to ask questions about cases, traffic laws or just say hi and get a cup of coffee.