Naperville's top cop is opening up the lines of communication with a side of coffee and pastries. Police Chief Jason Arres is setting up shop at Panera Bread for his next "Chat with the Chief," inviting locals to pull up a chair and talk about what's on their minds regarding community safety and law enforcement concerns.

This casual sit-down is slated for Thursday, June 27, at the Panera Bread located at 2775 Showplace Drive and will run from 10 to 11:30 a.m. It's an open house format, so residents can drop in at any point during the 90-minute window to bend the chief's ear or simply listen in on the conversation, according to the official city announcement.

"Chat with the Chief is such a valuable event because we get to have one-on-one and small group conversations with residents," Chief Arres said, per the city's press release. "We can answer their questions, listen to their concerns, and really get to know the values and priorities of the people who live and work in the town we’re sworn to protect." Arres’s readiness to engage with the public is a consistent theme in the series, which is held multiple times a year throughout different locales in Naperville.

Aside from fostering open dialogue, no formal agenda or presentation is on the docket. The series is part of a broader community policing effort by the Naperville Police Department to contribute to a more transparent and accessible law enforcement presence. For residents interested in further details or future "Chat with the Chief" dates, they can visit the city's website, their central hub for community events and police updates.