Sheriff Chad Bianco (Twitter)
Riverside County Sheriff Calls Out Starbucks For Its ‘Cops With No Coffee’ Incident
The sheriff now buys his deputies coffee from ‘The Coffee Bean’
By Michelle Mears, December 14, 2019 10:49 am
The Riverside County Sheriff took to Twitter Thursday, attacking Starbucks for their employees’ treatment of two deputies.
“Two of our deputies were refused service at Starbucks. The anti-police culture repeatedly displayed by Starbucks employees must end,” tweeted Sheriff Chad Bianco.
Two of our deputies were refused service at Starbucks. The anti police culture repeatedly displayed by Starbucks employees must end. https://t.co/XXgjtJ9GcH
— Chad Bianco (@SheriffBianco) December 14, 2019
Officials with the Riverside County Sheriff Department also tweeted, “We are aware of the “cop with no coffee” incident that occurred in Riverside on 12/12/19, involving our @RSO deputies. We are in communication w/ @StarbucksCorporate addressing the issue of deputies being denied service. #copwithnocoffee #starbucks.”
The exact location of the Starbucks has not been released.
Channel 3 News in Los Angeles reported Starbucks issued the following apology:
“There is simply no excuse for how two Riverside deputies were ignored for nearly 5 minutes at our store on Thursday evening. We are deeply sorry and reached out to apologize directly to them. We take full responsibility for any intentional or unintentional disrespect shown to law enforcement on whom we depend every day to keep our stores and communities safe. No customer, in or out of uniform, should ever have that experience at a Starbucks. The partners (employees) who worked that evening will not be scheduled to work while we investigate and take the appropriate steps.”
Has the coffee chain created a culture among its employees nationwide that discriminates against police officers?
In November, a Starbucks barista in Glenpool, Oklahoma, wrote “pig” on multiple cups of coffee the police chief was picking up for himself and fellow officers.
Oklahoma is a largely conservative state as is the community of Glenpool, and the situation did not go well with local residents. Starbucks issued an apology and the employees were suspended.
According to a Twitter post, Chief O’Mara in Oklahoma said his officer received a phone call from the @Starbucks employee today who made the “pig” labels. She apologized, and said it was meant to be a joke between her and another co-worker.
UPDATE: Chief O'Mara says his officer received a phone call from the @Starbucks employee today who made the "pig" labels. He tells me she apologized, and said it was meant to be a joke between her and another co-worker.
— Amy Slanchik (@amyslanchik) November 29, 2019
Starbucks also apologized to the Tempe, Arizona Police Department in July 2019 after police officers were asked to leave a Starbucks store. A customer complained said they did not feel safe in the presence of the six officers who stopped to get coffee. A barista asked the officers to leave after they had purchased their drinks.
Sheriff Bianco posted Saturday morning a photo with his follow deputies at Coffee Bean with the simple statement, “I heard they wanted coffee.”
RELATED ARTICLES
-
April 6, 2020 -
-
March 16, 2020
If I’m ever in any establishment where any law inforcment officer is denied service or asked to leave I will order a large coffee with lots of cream and sugar then pour it on the counter and leave the joint.
I am a SoCal peace officer who works in and around the Temecula area. I have heard of other incidents, similar to this, occurring throughout the nation. I think it’s important to mention that while on duty, my colleagues and I have experienced nothing but stellar service and respect anytime we visit our local Starbucks for a cup. I consider this “anti-police” behavior to be more a reflection of an individual employee and I would hesitate to conclude that Starbucks, as a company, promotes any anti police culture.
No one voted for police. We should only have sheriffs who are voted upon. They can have as many deputies as needed, but when new sheriff is voted in, everyone must be replaced. That is constitutional. We vote the rest into office, why not officers who order us about and shoot people?
See how long law enforcement personnel in a county stay in any organization that requries them be fired and rehired every tim eleadership changes. You lose everyone in the agency, not just the sworn officers – but the 911 dispatchers, traffic control, etc. There is no way to square your idea with any union contracts covering deputies. I have an idea, why not require corporations to fire all their employees and have them re-apply for their jobs after every presidential election year. It’s only fair, right?
Starbucks serves 100 million customers each week worldwide (78 countries). They serve 4 billion cups a year.
They have 300,000 employees. If an employee is disrespectful of customers, you fire them. Why bring in the media circus? Slow news week?
I’m in Starbucks on San Pablo Ave in Hercules Calif several times a week. Each night Police officers come in. They are friendly and always treated respectfully by the Starbucks staff. I am proud of them all. Both the staff and the peace officers are good people. We are lucky to have them.
One more reason to keep getting my coffee at 7-11. Besides, it’s better tasting, more customizable, and a LOT less expensive, too. Oh, thank heaven!
Leet the porker pig doughnut eaters go elsewhere to dine.
I will never go into Starbucks again.