On a dreary Thursday morning, Mount Joy students and members of the Mount Joy Borough Police Department found a bright spot at the Olde Square Inn. The officers chatted with the kids, talking about how school is going, what they like to do in their free time and, perhaps most importantly, what's for breakfast.

Breakfast With a Cop is held on the second Thursday of the month at the inn. The program, which began earlier this month, is the brainchild of innkeeper Nancy Skee.

"I've been wanting to do this for three years," stated Skee, who noticed how many children gathered at the bus stop outside her inn at 127 E. Main St. in Mount Joy. "I want them to know there's a friendly place for them here if they need it. ... I want them to know they can come up on my porch. It's a safe space for them."

Skee had a conversation with Main Street Mount Joy executive director Dave Schell, who contacted the borough police. Skee and police officers met with families at the bus stop, explained the program, obtained permission slips and checked for food allergies. The first breakfast was held on Sept. 9.

Police Chief Rob Goshen said the breakfast aligns perfectly with the department's mission to connect with the community. "You want to break barriers down between the public and the police," he remarked. "You want young people to know the police aren't someone to be afraid of. We want them to know we're here to help them."

Two officers joined Goshen at the first breakfast, and he plans to rotate through his 12 full-time officers in coming months. Officer Kyle Hosking said he enjoyed meeting the students and getting to know them. "Early intervention programs have been proven to work," he noted. "We have had some really great conversations with the kids."

Skee said she expects to serve up to 45 students, parents and siblings, who meet four buses by the inn. Thanks to a donation from a local family, the breakfast will always include doughnuts. At the first breakfast, Skee also served juice, water and coffee, along with bagels and fruit snacks. Additionally, she made about 30 bacon, egg and cheese burritos for the kids to enjoy.

Parent Jenny Dietz brought a brood to the breakfast and said she appreciated what Skee and the police are doing. "I really like this idea, because it gives kids a positive view of the police force," she explained.

Grace Osiecki, a fourth grader at Donegal Intermediate School, said she was happy to enjoy breakfast before getting on the bus. "This is really good," she commented. Her tablemate, Kate Dietz, agreed. With her mouth full of food, she could only answer with an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

Skee said the first breakfast went off without a hitch, and she's looking forward to a school year full of breakfasts.

"This morning, the older kids who were here at 7 a.m. didn't say too much while they ate," she remarked, "but a few of them, as they were getting on the bus, came running back to say, 'Thank you.'"