By Sergeant Harry Foltz
On occasion, a police officer wants to get a cup of coffee just like anyone going to a convenience store. Although the experience is different, it’s just a cup of coffee, right? The coffee is good, they greet us with a smile, and it’s an opportunity to stretch our legs for a moment. Just like if you were asked to name every street you turn onto when going from work to home, you may not be able to do that — you just drive. As a police officer, you don’t really assess what it takes to go into a convenience store; after all, it’s just a cup of coffee.
We drive by the convenience store and observe the parking lot. We don’t pull into the parking lot at the first entrance; we go past that one. The second entrance is where we make the turn so we can see every car parked. Driving through the parking lot back toward the other side of the building, we look at every car, the people inside them, and people walking toward the front door or back to their car. What are they doing? Why are they there? Have they been there for a while? And we haven’t even parked to get a cup of coffee.
We look at every parking spot, observing what advantages one provides over another. Simple things, like: Is there a large vehicle blocking our view? Can we open our door wide enough to deploy a long gun or access the back of our vehicle to get out emergency equipment? Are there any delivery trucks that might block us in? What kind of lighting is provided? Are there any poorly visible areas where a threat can be concealed? And we haven’t even gotten out of the vehicle to get a cup of coffee.
We park and can see the vehicles and the people better in the parking lot. What are they doing? Who else is in their vehicle? Are they about to leave or get out of their car? People are entering and leaving the store. Do they look like they belong there, and are their hands visible? Do we know that person? Do they have active warrants? Did we arrest that person? Did they threaten us, or is that person having a medical episode? And we still haven’t entered the store for a cup of coffee.
We enter the store and identify all the employees, the exits and the delivery folks stocking shelves. We look at each person in the store and observe their reaction to our presence. Is there anyone in the back storeroom? What are people doing in the store? Are they waiting for food, randomly walking about sizing up an opportunity? Are there any interactions among people that may lead to a dispute? Is the coffee area overloaded with people? Is there anyone just lingering about? And we haven’t even poured a cup of coffee.
The coffee dispenser we want is finally open, and we grab a cup. Someone is now right next to us. Did we give them enough room? Are they waiting to get coffee from the dispenser we’re using? Do they know us and are waiting for us to recognize them? Why are they in our personal space? Is our weapon bladed away from them enough? If we cover our weapon, will it draw their attention? And we still haven’t prepared our cup of coffee.
The coffee station is busy, and people are searching through each cooler looking for their favorite additives. We wait for an area to open up that will give us the best ability to protect our weapon. People begin to crowd the area, reaching across us for various items. Now someone is standing right next to us, moving closer to our weapon side. We hurry up and get the lid on our coffee so we can observe who and why they had to be so close. And we haven’t even paid for our coffee yet.
We wait in a short line at the register, making sure we have our payment ready. The line slows up, and people move closer to us waiting to make their purchase. We think about how to get some distance between those in line standing too close. Can we wait that long, or should we just leave the line and look for another item to purchase? We look back at the people in line and size them up for threats and assess a reaction if necessary. And we haven’t even left the store with a cup of coffee.
We exit the store and observe the people moving about the parking lot. We look at the vehicles between us and ours. Did anyone park next to us that wasn’t there before we went into the store? What are people doing in their vehicles, and were they there before we went into the store? Is our radio on? Did we miss important radio traffic? Did we forget to call in that we were out of the vehicle? And we haven’t even gotten back in our vehicle with a cup of coffee.
A cup of coffee, a bottle of water, a meal break, or a moment to stretch our legs — we don’t take any particular one for granted, not now, not ever. It’s not an inconvenience or a compromise; it’s our way of life. It’s not stress, paranoia, pessimism, policy-driven, or a promise to a loved one. We have a belief that’s repeated with every attempt to create awareness in us. It’s cemented and seared into our memory from as early as the police academy. Finish your shift, be safe and go home — after all, it’s just a cup of coffee, right?
About the author
Sergeant Harry Foltz has dedicated over 20 years to the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office in Toms River, New Jersey, where he has gained extensive experience across various divisions. He began his career in the Judicial Division, where he served for three years before transitioning to the Warrants Division for a decade. For the past nine years, Sergeant Foltz has been an integral part of the Training Unit, contributing to the professional development of his fellow officers.
Currently, Sergeant Foltz is assigned to the newly acquired Law Enforcement Training Center, which features outdoor and indoor ranges, training rooms and advanced simulators. Under his supervision, the facility is poised for further expansion, with upcoming projects including the addition of a Simmunition Shoot House, a driving simulator and an Emergency Vehicle Operations Course.
In his role as the Supervising Firearms Instructor and Armorer, Sergeant Foltz holds numerous certifications. His expertise and leadership have made him a key figure in the training and preparedness of law enforcement personnel within Ocean County. His commitment to safety, education and innovation continues to shape the future of the agency’s training programs.