US Cafe Won't Serve Uniformed Police Officers

[edelweiss]

I'm not surprised it happened in Portland. I can see the officer being a bit surprised at being handed his coffee in a togo cup at the counter and being asked to leave with it but if I look at the demographic of the customers it is better for them $$$ as a small independent hippie vegan co=op cafe to preserve the feeling of their regulars. It's not like the officer can't get coffee if he doesn't go there.

And if the officer doesn't even care that much I don't know why I should.

[CoryInJapan]

I agree to an extent, because there are to Manny corrupt cops..Not necessarily that they break the law...But they're morals and way of handling things lack to compassion for people as they used to in the good ol days.I'm talking about pre-70's era.

Now cops throw around they;re power more often than not when its not necessary.

There still are good cops out there, I think that was a little extreme to kick him out just because he is a cop.

[Sangetsu]

If I were a police officer in the area and I got a call to this coffee shop about a robbery or fire I would probably take my time getting there. And once I arrived I wouldn't be too careful about actually looking for the robbers. I'm pretty sure that firefighters might take a little extra time getting their hoses hooked up and organized before actually using them to put out the fire.

"Professional Courtesy" is an expression used between police and firefighters as both professions work together on a daily basis, and they help each other out both on and off duty. A police officer in a car wreck is going to get quick help from the fire department, and a firefighter who gets pulled over driving home after a few too many drinks is not going to get a DUI. Any business who raises the ire of either organization can count on never getting timely service from either.

The shop owner didn't really care about the gun, he is just a counter-culture nut who dislikes police officers and needed some kind of excuse for his action. If I was the officer in this situation and I was asked to leave you can be sure that I would do so happily, and never return, even if the owner called 911 and begged for me to come back. I would take my time driving to his shop using a roundabout route, and just before getting there my patrol car would somehow get a flat tire, and I would ask that another unit from the district be dispatched instead. And you can be sure that the next unit wouldn't be breaking the speed limit to get to the call either.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by Sangetsu

If I were a police officer in the area and I got a call to this coffee shop about a robbery or fire I would probably take my time getting there. And once I arrived I wouldn't be too careful about actually looking for the robbers. I'm pretty sure that firefighters might take a little extra time getting their hoses hooked up and organized before actually using them to put out the fire.

"Professional Courtesy" is an expression used between police and firefighters as both professions work together on a daily basis, and they help each other out both on and off duty. A police officer in a car wreck is going to get quick help from the fire department, and a firefighter who gets pulled over driving home after a few too many drinks is not going to get a DUI. Any business who raises the ire of either organization can count on never getting timely service from either.

The shop owner didn't really care about the gun, he is just a counter-culture nut who dislikes police officers and needed some kind of excuse for his action. If I was the officer in this situation and I was asked to leave you can be sure that I would do so happily, and never return, even if the owner called 911 and begged for me to come back. I would take my time driving to his shop using a roundabout route, and just before getting there my patrol car would somehow get a flat tire, and I would ask that another unit from the district be dispatched instead. And you can be sure that the next unit wouldn't be breaking the speed limit to get to the call either.

I guess I am glad you are not a police officer or fire fighter in my town, as I wouldn't want my local police or fire fighters "playing favorites" in ways that can seriously affect people's lives.

As a translator, no one is going to lose their life by the decisions I make. However, if a cop decides to let a drunk firefighter continue his drive home, then his decision certainly can lead to the loss of life.

If a firefighter decides to take his time showing up to a fire because he doesn't agree with the politics or policies of the victim, then that can lead to neighboring businesses or houses being damaged.

Those police certainly have the right to protest the policies of the business. They can choose not to go there and buy coffee. They can choose to write letters to the local paper, and they can choose to tell their friends of the store's policy.

However, what they should not choose is not do their job as diligently as they pledged to do just because they don't agree with the businesses policies. Then they make themselves as bad, if not worse, as the business itself.

[TalnSG]

Originally Posted by MMM

Those police certainly have the right to protest the policies of the business. They can choose not to go there and buy coffee. They can choose to write letters to the local paper, and they can choose to tell their friends of the store's policy.

However, what they should not choose is not do their job as diligently as they pledged to do just because they don't agree with the businesses policies. Then they make themselves as bad, if not worse, as the business itself.

Agreed.
Having lived in towns where there were som problems with police abusing their authority, I know what its like to feel uncomfortable when they walk into a business. But the tensions and reputations are not helped by simply removing someone who makes you uncomfortable. It didn't work when racial segregation was legal and it won't work in this case.

The owner needs to treat the officers like any other customer and set a better example for his customers. Then the customers would have a better chance of knowing who on the force to trust when they need them.

[ParaPara]

Originally Posted by Sangetsu

The shop owner didn't really care about the gun, he is just a counter-culture nut who dislikes police officers and needed some kind of excuse for his action.

Well said. That is exactly what I think to. I don't think that the officer should take his time helping out the shop if they need help though. Personally, I would not hold a grudge like that, and I don't think most police officers do that.

[seiki]

What I am wondering is why would the customers be nervous of the police officer if they had nothing to hide. The people in the stories seemed to have at least given the officers probable cause to shoot or at least detain them.

[manganimefan227]

They weren't scared, just the manager speaking out . . .

Hmm . . .

[Aniki]

Cafe owner kicks out a police officer, really, I wonder why?

[MMM]

Originally Posted by seiki

What I am wondering is why would the customers be nervous of the police officer if they had nothing to hide. The people in the stories seemed to have at least given the officers probable cause to shoot or at least detain them.

There have been a handful of police shootings in Portland over the past couple years. In each case it was determined to be justified, if looked at reasonably. No police have been punished. For example, in the most recent case a man was pulled over. When asked to show ID he pulled out a gun and shot a cop. He was then shot and killed by other police officers. It's hard to say that isn't a justified use of force.