Carlsbad residents can sit down with the officers assigned to their neighborhoods Wednesday, Aug. 26, when the Carlsbad Police Department's new Community Policing & Problem Solving Team hosts its first Coffee with a Cop event at Bird Rock Coffee Roasters in Bressi Ranch.
The drop-in runs from 9 to 10 a.m. at 2656 Gateway Road. The city called it a "special edition" of its rotating Coffee with a Cop series because it marks the COPPS Team's first appearance at one of the informal meetups, which rotate to different locations throughout Carlsbad so residents can get to know local officers.
What the COPPS Team does
Six dedicated officers, supervised by Sgt. Brian Johnson, work a district-based model covering all four City Council districts seven days a week. Rather than responding to 911 calls, they focus on recurring issues, quality-of-life concerns, crime trends and community partnerships. Patrol officers handle the rest.
The goal is to free patrol staff for emergency calls while COPPS officers build longer-term solutions through data analysis and direct collaboration with residents, businesses, schools and local organizations.
The Carlsbad City Council approved the unit March 24, authorizing $684,350 in new spending and six full-time positions that bring the department's sworn roster to 143. An additional $2.9 million was reallocated from the General Fund's Asset Replacement Reserve to support the effort. The city's adopted fiscal year 2026-27 budget of $249.4 million fully funds the team.
Carlsbad had a COPPS unit about 15 years ago but disbanded it to fill patrol staffing gaps. Most other San Diego County law enforcement agencies, including Escondido police and sheriff's stations in Encinitas, San Marcos and Vista, already operate similar programs.
"Establishing a COPPS team now allows the department to formalize and strengthen those efforts … With increasing demands for service and high community expectations, having officers specifically assigned to community engagement, problem-solving and long-term issue resolution helps ensure these priorities remain consistent and sustained," department spokesperson Denise Ramirez told the San Diego Union-Tribune in April, when the team's creation was announced.
How to connect
Residents who cannot attend the Aug. 26 event can learn more about the COPPS Team or contact their district officer through the Carlsbad Police Department's website at carlsbadca.gov/departments/police/contact-us/copps.
