Warren County Sheriff’s and Vicksburg police patrol cars filled several parking spaces at Chik-fil-A Wednesday morning as part of a program to get the public better acquainted with law enforcement.

The officers and deputies were participating in the restaurant’s “Breakfast With a Cop” program, designed to bring police and the public together to open communication and get to know each other better.

Wednesday was also Law Enforcement Appreciation Day nationwide.

“This is something we’ve done in the past,” Chick-fil-A owner/operator Nick Jones said. “We’re excited to be able to host these kinds of programs and partner with our local police to keep the conversation open; to have them come in and talk with folks and sit down over coffee or breakfast.”

Sheriff Martin Pace said the program gives the restaurant’s customers a chance to ask the officers questions, “And it gives us a great opportunity to interact with the citizens that we serve.”

Deputy Vicksburg police chief Eric Paymon said a program, like Breakfast with a Cop “is always beneficial for the police department and the public for us to be seen in a positive light. We like to take advantage of opportunities like this to communicate with the public and let them ask questions.

“I think these guys like to come out to an event like this to get a chance to talk to the public and answer questions every chance we get.”

“You try to reach out and break the barrier with law enforcement officers and people in the community,” said Sgt. Otis Stamps, an investigator with the police department.

“A lot of people grow up thinking cops are bad people and this is a way to break that barrier and let them know we’re not the bad guys and we’re here to help and serve them any way we can.”