http://www.wptv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=42414c5d-d2b4-4e82-b0a0-9b96db999c33&rss=762
My question is: Why are criminal charges not pending?
I doubt the coffee place was interested in pressing charges, just stopping a freeloader.
Apparently he was stopping in up to 6 times a shift. Jesus - at Starbucks that would be about $20 worth of coffee!
Too bad, the Starbucks in Daytona Beach are not closing.
I’m trying to imagine why, in this day and age, anyone in their right mind would demand a polygraph. In even the best case scenario, someone says, “Well, polygraphs aren’t conclusive” and the results are going to be largely dismissed. And in the worst case scenario…well, you have this situation.
Starbucks don’t want bad publicity. The police / DA won’t bother as Mr. Po Po (or is it Mr. Pee Pee after six double mocha espressos??) has had his career flushed down the toilet, which they probably think is punishment enough.
My WAG is that he was trying to bluff hoping that they really wouldn’t make him take the polygraph.
I still think the fucker should be in jail. It is criminal extortion. Who cares if Starbucks wants to press charges or not? It is like a mafia protection racket. People in the public trust can’t go around demanding stuff from law abiding businesses…
I don’t think it quite rises to that level. And, quite frankly, I wouldn’t really want my tax dollars going to putting this ass on trial and supporting him in prison.
I agree with this. The humiliation of losing his job because he wasn’t content with free drip coffee would be enough.
Clever, the second link refers to a “coffee brouhaha”.
Ha ha.
But if some neighborhood tough pushed his way to the front of the line and demanded free coffee, or else he might not look after the interests of the store, do you think that person should be let off with no criminal charges?
IMHO, the fact that this police officer was using the color of his authority to extort a business makes his actions worse. He should be charged (and hopefully convicted) of some crime and sentenced to at least community service… like picking up trash in an orange jumpsuit, or whatever service wouldn’t allow him to expect that merchants will have to kiss his ass.
Yep, sounds like a higher stakes version of “you calling me a liar?”
In a perfectly just world, I’d agree this should be happening. Realistically, however, it’s not going to. For one thing, there’s no direct benefit to the business for filing criminal charges. Their priorities are a) Stop the harassment, and b) not alienate their customer base. If it were a random thug, then Starbucks probably would prosecute, because it’s the only way to ensure the harassment stops. In the case of a police officer, there’s a larger organization involved that can respond to complaints, put pressure on its members or even (as in this case) kick them out.
As for part b), if they press charges, then there will inevitably be some negative reaction from some sector of the public who will side with the police no matter what. Maybe not much, maybe balanced by people who support Starbucks’ actions, but I think it’s likely that accepting a “knock it off and we’re square” agreement will alienate fewer customers than bringing anyone to trial.
Then there’s also the matter of possibly alienating other police officers by going overboard (in their eyes) with the public embarrassment. It probably wouldn’t manifest as outright retaliatory harassment, but to paraphrase Stripes: “One of these men might save your life. Then again, one of them might not.”