(KLFY)- The Lafayette Police Department and the Lafayette City Marshal’s Office are joining forces to bring community policing and safety to the Hub City.

Police Chief Thomas Glover explains, “When you have safe communities, people want to visit and eat and dine and take care of the nightlife and spend money.”

At a community relations “coffee talk”, Marshal Reggie Thomas says he sees now more than ever the importance of local law enforcement agencies, working together for the advancement in this “new age” of policing.

“In police work, we have to know what the community wants, then we can provide the enforcement,” adds Thomas.

During a one on one Q&A, Chief Glover explains his presence and the presence of his officers will be felt throughout Lafayette, emphasizing transparency between the city and the agency that serves and protects.

Chief Glover continues, “We have to stress communication. We have to stress police talking to the community and the community talking to police.”

The departments’ names may be different but the city they took an oath to serve and protect is the same so together Chief Glover and Marshal Thomas hope to present a united front and be an ally to each other’s respected departments.

“It has to start with dialogue between us and the community,” says Chief Glover.

“I think if we are on the same page it does so much. They know that we care,” says Marshal Thomas.