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November 21, 2008
Protect and serve (free coffee)
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Though many police departments officially frown on freebies, coffee houses and restaurants around the city and suburbs give the gratis, and the officers’ bosses seem to look the other way.Gadzooks! That lady sure wanted free coffee. It is an admirable tradition that the men and women who protect our streets should get free or discounted coffee, but one also cannot abuse the tradition. Though I don't see how threatening people with a gun merits a suspension, while the bag of trail mix warrants termination. The always excellent Second City Cop has some ideas about that.
But there’s another unwritten rule: Cops can’t demand the free stuff. And that’s just what officials say Chicago Police Officer Barbara Nevers did, demanding free coffee and pastries from a half-dozen Starbucks stores over the years, until she was banned from one of the java joints and a memo was sent to other stores.
The 55-year-old veteran of more than a decade was suspended for 18 months and recommended for counseling after showing her gun and badge to intimidate employees into giving her free coffee, according to documents released Thursday.
...
Some employees testified that between 1999 and 2004 Nevers frequented their stores weekly, often in street clothes, and flashed a badge or flipped her jacket to reveal her gun if they asked for payment. In 2004, she was accused of stealing a juice drink from one Starbucks, but eventually was acquitted.
One manager at a Starbucks in the 1700 block of West Diversey Parkway testified that Nevers started asking for free pastries too, and got angry when the store employees refused. The manager told Nevers she wasn’t welcome in the store anymore, and testified that Nevers walked behind the store counter, asking angrily if she wasn’t welcome, before leaving.
“She was vehement about getting the free pastries,” the manager testified.
Anyway, this reminds me. I can't believe I never told this story, and maybe I did, but a quick check of the ol' archives does not turn it up.
Back in the summer of 2007, I was driving home around midnight from an outing, when I passed by the Cabrini-Green housing complex. Some people are making a heavy effort to redevelop the area, and directly across the street from the remaining buildings is a little plaza with a gas station, a sub shop and a Dunkin' Donuts/convenience store. I had a hankering for a hot chocolate, so I pulled into the parking lot. There was a big police paddy wagon parked there, and a few other police cars.
I walked into the Dunkin' Donuts. I was very startled to see that several police officers were behind the counter, pouring themselves cups of coffee and squirreling away pastries for the night ahead. Without thinking, I blurted out, "What is this, did you guys take over the Dunkin' Donuts now?"
About this time, the neurons in my brain made the connection about police stereotypes and donuts. Yet, as Caesar would say, iacta alea est.
The first officer glared at me and said, "What did you say?" And then another asked me if I had any outstanding parking tickets, which, I suppose, was a low-level threat that I shouldn't perpetuate police stereotypes. I wasn't trying to do that in the first place - I think anyone who saw a bunch of cops behind the counter at a coffee shop would have also been confused.
I meekly apologized and then ran way before they could ask me for my license. I might also have wet my pants.
I also did not get a hot chocolate.
entry no. 1244
Posted at November 21, 2008 10:01 AM