Police officers served made-to-order pancakes, gave tours of the police station and allowed community members to foster connections with officers April 16 at UCPD’s second annual Pancakes with Police event.

UCPD welcomed students, staff and faculty and provided an opportunity to bridge gaps and build relationships between the UCLA community and officers over breakfast.

The inspiration behind the event was using serving pancakes to students as a metaphor for the UCPD serving Westwood, said Matt Ellis, UCPD manager of the community service officer programs.

“A lot of the UCLA community is hesitant to call the police,” Ellis said. “It’s important for us to show the community that we’re part of the community, and that we’re here to serve.”

Staff and students said they enjoyed the hot pancakes made fresh by UCPD officers, as well as a variety of other foods, including bacon, a selection of pastries, and drinks such as orange juice and coffee.

The event was a good opportunity for students to engage with the community and enjoy some good food, said Alex McDermott, a fourth-year aerospace engineering student.

“It was a good vibe, the music and the food,” McDermott said. “Nice to get some free food and hang out.”

The event allowed students to feel comfortable with the people who serve them every day on campus, said Charlie Kratos, a first-year business economics student.

“One of the officers told me, ‘We’re human, too – we love pancakes for breakfast,’” Kratos said.

Police officers also offered tours for students and staff. Offering tours could clear misconceptions about the police and their work as well as show the student body that they should not be afraid to contact the police if they need to, said Eric Gadal, lead property officer of UCPD.

“There’s a lot of trepidation about what the police are, what the police do, and the more contact you have, the more you’re transparent,” Gadal said. “They’re not just some sort of guy in a uniform that’s going to basically put me in handcuffs.”

Gadal also mentioned that many students were surprised by the facilities within the station, such as a jail and student job opportunities.

Many officers said turnout was a lot higher than they expected.

Even though officers are busy and understaffed, they all took time out of their schedules to interact with the community, said Jeffrey Chobanian, administrative lieutenant of UCPD.

UCPD chief of police John Thomas added that he was excited that many staff members showed up alongside students.

“We have people that work in custodial services, auxiliary, and people are really, oftentimes, insanely unsung heroes in our community,” Thomas said. “I’m very pleased that we can do this for them as well.”

Because of the success of the event and the high turnout rate, many agreed that they would like to see more events like this. Jose Curiel, a UCLA facilities management staff member, said it would be great to have more events with the UCPD and other departments.

Thomas reiterated the importance of dialogue and conversations between the student body and UCPD while also respecting the different needs of different student bodies.

“One size doesn’t fit all. … You can’t say each has the same expectations of the police, so we have to meet them where they are, and that’s what I’m seeking,” Thomas said. “I think that’s the most important part, … opportunities to engage.”