Sheriff: 'Anti-Police Culture' at Starbucks Has to Stop

Two deputies were apparently ignored by staff in Riverside County, Calif.
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 15, 2019 12:17 PM CST
Sheriff's Deputies: Starbucks Ignored Us
This file photo shows a sign in a Starbucks store.   (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Yet again, law enforcement is complaining about service they get at Starbucks—this time in California. "Two of our deputies were refused service at Starbucks," tweeted Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, per CNN. "The anti police culture repeatedly displayed by Starbucks employees must end." Bianco said in a Facebook video that two deputies were "completely ignored" and "laughed at" for several minutes despite their request for service at a University Ave. location. He admitted to the Press-Enterprise that employees didn't say anything suggesting they disliked cops, but to him, the message was clear.

"Starbucks is minimizing this entire thing by saying this is a customer service issue when we all know the only reason was that they walked in there in uniform," he said. "Of course they have to do damage control; they have to say it's customer service." But Starbucks' corporate office has apologized to the sheriff's department, saying "we are deeply sorry" and "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." The employees in question have been suspended pending a company investigation. (Other Starbucks kerfuffles with cops include a word on a cup and six officers who were asked to leave.)

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