# Is it normal for businesses to give free stuff to police officers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 2, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-businesses-to-give-free-stuff-to-police-officers/541654 "2010-06-02T15:52:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Joanie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@Joanie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joanie)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-businesses-to-give-free-stuff-to-police-officers/541654/61 "2010-06-05T09:53:27Z")
I’ve seen them get free meals in restuarants. When I was much younger, I used to think the best approach was to heckle the cops on the spot and make some comments about them scoring free meals. But, I’ve changed my mind for several reasons. The first is that it’s an easy way to get a beating. Sad to say, many cops think nothing of taking a private citizen out and giving them an “attitude adjustment” for saying anything critical towards cops. But, a better reason is that complaining publicly through their public complaints department may not change anything. But at least it gets the incident on record so that if the cops involved are ever involved in a more serious incident, the lawyer opposing the cops may be able to dig out the report and use it somehow to show these cops are not legit. If I was a cop and knew I could score free meals etc. I’d be looking to see just what else I could score for free. I understand that at one time, cops in NYC could score all kinds of extra money on the job from people who routinely broke the law but wanted to avoid jail. I have to consider police corruption to be one of the “top ten” evils in our society and worthy of the public’s attention and a drive to stop it. I sure wish there were some public agencies devoted to rooting out this kind of corruption and publicizing it so that it is out in the open. ---
**Author:** ![sn00ze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8797f3/32.png) [@sn00ze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sn00ze)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2010, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-businesses-to-give-free-stuff-to-police-officers/541654/62 "2010-06-05T10:56:14Z")
yeah, common… I’ve worked in a few places where cops get some sort of discount. My boss saw it as cheap security if they had cops repeatedly using the shop. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-businesses-to-give-free-stuff-to-police-officers/541654/63 "2010-06-06T16:57:27Z")
I worked at a gas station for a while when I was 19. Coffee and fountain drinks were always free for LEOs in uniform. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-businesses-to-give-free-stuff-to-police-officers/541654/64 "2010-06-06T21:55:25Z")
At the restaurants I’ve worked at it would have seemed wrong to give them anything completely free, but when they came around my managers usually wanted to give them a discount on the order of 15-20%. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-businesses-to-give-free-stuff-to-police-officers/541654/65 "2010-06-06T23:35:47Z")
In Kansas City, the dominant convenience store is QuikTrip. They’ve pretty much destroyed 7-11 in this area, and good riddance. They pay well enough that they attract competent employees, they always have two on staff at all times, and they almost always have a police car parked out front. They are very rarely robbed. > [@Scumpup](#): > > I’ve been both LE and military. I’m neither intimidated nor impressed by them; nor do I see any reason to fawn over them. Lots of people do difficult, dangerous jobs but nobody thinks to kiss their asses or give them free stuff. > Alaskan crab fishermen have a fatality rate of 141.7 per 100,000. Cops, on the other hand, have a rate of 14 per 100,000. The most dangerous war in which to be US military was our own civil war and it had a fatality rate of 6.06 per 100,000. How many get weepy over their bucket o’ legs at Red Lobster thinking of all the men who died to make that meal possible? Very true. Garbage collectors have a fatality rate higher than cops and firefighters combined. They are picking up plastic bags that may be filled with toxic waste, shards of broken glass, wood with rusty nails…whatever. And they do this hundreds of times a shift, jumping on and off the back of a moving truck, in traffic, throwing the bags into the maw of a device specifically designed to crush things. And nobody gives than anything free. ---
**Author:** ![Thalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f475e1/32.png) [@Thalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thalion)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-businesses-to-give-free-stuff-to-police-officers/541654/66 "2010-06-07T05:01:34Z")
My department expressly prohibits us from taking anything for free or at a discount. A few years ago a new Dairy Queen opened, and they were knocking 20% off of every bill for us. We told the owner that we couldn’t accept that, and she said we couldn’t stop her from charging what she wanted to charge. My Chief finally had to tell her that if she didn’t change the policy, he would not allow any of us to go there anymore. She finally agreed. I believe very strongly that our citizens pay taxes for me to do my job. They don’t need to give me anything more than that. ---
**Author:** ![Thalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f475e1/32.png) [@Thalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thalion)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-businesses-to-give-free-stuff-to-police-officers/541654/67 "2010-06-07T05:42:56Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > How many get weepy over their bucket o’ legs at Red Lobster thinking of all the men who died to make that meal possible? [Somebody does!](http://www.pvponline.com/2008/04/09/on-a-steel-horse-they-ride/) ---
**Author:** ![Thalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f475e1/32.png) [@Thalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thalion)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-businesses-to-give-free-stuff-to-police-officers/541654/68 "2010-06-07T05:44:41Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Garbage collectors have a fatality rate higher than cops and firefighters combined. That’s interesting. Do you have a cite for that? I admit that it’s possible, but I cannot remember ever in my life hearing about a garbage collector being killed in the line of duty. I’d be interesting to see how often this really happens. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-businesses-to-give-free-stuff-to-police-officers/541654/69 "2010-06-07T07:29:08Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Garbage collectors have a fatality rate higher than cops and firefighters combined. They are picking up plastic bags that may be filled with toxic waste, shards of broken glass, wood with rusty nails…whatever. And they do this hundreds of times a shift, jumping on and off the back of a moving truck, in traffic, throwing the bags into the maw of a device specifically designed to crush things. > > And nobody gives than anything free. For 2007, that was not the case. Garbage collectors have similar fatalities as cops. PDF! [http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfoi\_rates\_2007h.pdf](http://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/cfoi_rates_2007h.pdf) PDF! Fatalities per 100,000: ```auto Fire Fighters 17.8 Cops 21.8 Fishing 111.8 Logging 86.4 Electrical Power Line 29.1 Waste Management 20.9 Indep Artist, Actor, Athlete 6.2 Architecture & Engineering 1.7 Total 3.8 ``` Some caution should be used with interpretation. Actors have a high fatality rate relative to office workers, but that’s probably related more to personality than actual on-job hazard. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-businesses-to-give-free-stuff-to-police-officers/541654/70 "2010-06-07T08:28:17Z")
Garbage collecting has probably improved its injury rate substantially in the last 10 or 15 years. Because of automation, the operators don’t have to leave their cabs much while on their rounds. And it’s just one person per truck, rather than a crew of three or whatever. At least that’s the way it is around here and I suspect most places. As far as the OP, there’s one place in this area which is actively discouraging cops from patronizing: [Red & Black cafe shows Portland officer the door, won’t sell him coffee again](http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/06/red_black_cafe_shows_portland.html) BTW, the store I work in (pizza place) does give a discount to garbage collectors. There’s a small group of them that come in every Friday for lunch and they get some kind of deal (20% off, I think). OTOH, the cops manning the community police storefront next door don’t get any special discount. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-businesses-to-give-free-stuff-to-police-officers/541654/71 "2010-06-07T15:13:05Z")
One local restaurant chain (Rosa’s Cafe, Mexican food place) gives either discounts or free food to police officers and EMTs who come in in uniform. I sometimes wonder if it’s ever cost them business, seeing as there’s almost always an ambulance in the parking lot… Way back when I worked at a movie theater, there was a stated policy that police officers and their families were admitted free to any movie but the “no passes” new releases in their first week. It only happened a handful of times; they’d show the badge, I’d give them some special tickets we kept in a side drawer, and we’d inventory the used tickets at closing. So, it wasn’t just a casual handout, but something we actually wrote in the books and tracked. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-businesses-to-give-free-stuff-to-police-officers/541654/72 "2010-06-07T15:25:30Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Can you provide a cite on a department that expressly permit it? I know of none. > > We routinely pounded it into rookies heads that they are not to take anything for free, and if someone refuses your money you tell them you’ll get into serious trouble if you don’t pay. If they still refuse payment, put the money in the tip jar or leave it on the counter and walk. > > I have seen mega problems arise from officers getting free stuff. It may even be illegal depending on how a states Misconduct in Public Office statute is written. This is the problem - what starts as a sign of gratitude for someone doing a tough job becomes expected then demanded; up to the point where they get snarky if it does happen. Then what? From coffee and soda pop to treats to full meals…? Free haircuts? Free clothing?Free car repairs? If everyone politely knew where to draw the line, then good. If then police start showing favoritism to business that DO give handouts, and disfavoritism to the ones who put limits - then it has turned from a gift to a protection racekt. Consider tips to waiters - used to be 10% for a job well done. Now it’s working it’s way from 15% to 20%, many states take it for granted and reduce the minimum wage, surly waiters assume it’s your fault if you don’t tip, etc., you are expected to tip the bellhop, the cabbie, and now even the maids who make up hotel rooms… I heard the story of restaurants in New Zealand when I was there, where the restaurant workers sometimes forced tourists to take back their tip money because “we don’t want to have that stupid AMerican custom here!”. Don’t want turn this into GD on tips, but this is an example where the “gratuity” has become an expectation, and failure to play along can cause the customer problems. As long as it can stay an occasional expression of gratitude not an entitlemnet, then good. When it becomes too widespread, then it is bad. That is why most of the police forces in Canada that I am aware of, have explicit policies against gifts. They are no different than other civil servants and there should be no hint of favouritism or the need for “facilitating payments”. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-businesses-to-give-free-stuff-to-police-officers/541654/73 "2010-06-07T15:33:11Z")
A friend of mine gets a chinese takeaway at the same time of day 3 times a week - the owners know him well and appreciate his custom. As such he often gets 10-15% of a bill, or a free bag of prawn crackers etc. LEOs etc tend to be creatures of habit - they work set shifts and will tend to follow a similar route home at a similar time of night, so are perhaps more likely to become regular customers at a particular store. As noted, often it’s stuff that’s dead cheap at cost price (e.g. soda) so won’t hurt the overall business; [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-normal-for-businesses-to-give-free-stuff-to-police-officers/541654.md?page=3)