Starbucks in Tempe, AZ decided to kick a half dozen cops to the curb July 4th, refusing to allow them to drink their coffee in the Starbucks establishment. Bad choice Starbucks. You’ve got a policy that allows virtually every vagrant (Starbucks Is Now Open for Loitering and It’s a Terrible Business Decision) to hang out, or bathe in the rest rooms, but you give the Cops the Bum’s Rush? Really? It’s your sorry ass that needs to be kicked to the curb.
The Tempe Officers Association response follows. #BoycottStarbucks
AZ Family.com CBS5 reports, “A spokesman with Starbucks, Reggie Borges, gave the following statement about the incident over the phone:” Let me Bold some of the weasel words used by the Starbucks spox.
We have reached out to the Tempe police department to try to better understand what took place and apologize for any misunderstandings or inappropriate behavior that may have taken place.
1/4 A statement from the TOA on The July 4th incident and Starbucks’ treatment of police officers:
Yesterday, on Independence Day, six Tempe police officers stopped by the Starbucks at Scottsdale Road and McKellips for coffee. The officers paid for their drinks…
— Tempe Officers Association (@ToaAz) July 6, 2019
We work with them a lot on events, like Coffee with a Cop, in our stores and we have a great relationship with them, so we are surprised that something like this may have taken place.
Hey, we’re just trying to get our heads around a misunderstanding that may have (x2) taken place. It’s so surprising that the bums can hang, but we got no room for cops.
I just want them to understand how much we value them and what they bring to the community. It is too early to say what type of ramifications employees will face, if any. But we want it to be known that everyone who walks into our store should feel welcomed and embraced and to have the best Starbucks experience– and when that doesn’t happen, that is not indicative of the kind of welcoming environment that we want to provide.
So if we stall long enough, we won’t have to do anything about it and face the wrath of our “woke” employees, but in the meantime, we welcome your $Bucks, but if you’re a cop, just sneak through the Drive-thru.
2/4 and stood together having a cup of coffee before their long 4th of July shift. They were approached by a barista, who knew one of the officers by name, because he is a regular at that location. The barista said that a customer “did not feel safe” because of the police…
— Tempe Officers Association (@ToaAz) July 6, 2019
3/4 ..presence. The barista asked the officers to move out of the customer’s line of sight or to leave.
Disappointed, the officers did in fact leave.
This treatment of public safety workers could not be more disheartening. While the barista was polite, making such a request..
— Tempe Officers Association (@ToaAz) July 6, 2019
4/4.. at all was offensive. Unfortunately, such treatment has become all too common in 2019.
We know this is not a national policy at Starbucks Corporate and we look forward to working collaboratively with them on this important dialogue.— Tempe Officers Association (@ToaAz) July 6, 2019