After a Dunkin’ Donuts employee refused to serve two New York Police Department (NYPD) officers last week, the police force of America’s largest city is stepping up its boycott of the baked foods chain in the city.
The NYPD perceived the incident to be a political slight triggered by New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s anti-police rhetoric – after hearing two of its plainclothes officers with visible badges were denied service at the Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin Robbins Bed-Stuy franchise in Brooklyn located on 1993 Atlantic Ave.
“I don’t serve cops,” the Dunkin’ Donuts employee proclaimed across the counter as the two cops were ignored and a customer behind them was served, according to the New York Post.
Utterly uncalled for
After the incident, Detectives’ Endowment Association President Michael Palladino led the NYPD in a boycott of the donut chain – insisting that the blatant act of discrimination against those who protect, serve and sacrifice their lives for New Yorkers was unacceptable.
“[The refusal to serve NYPD officers was] disgraceful and it should not go unattended,” Palladino announced Thursday when he launched the department-wide boycott, the Post reported. “I assume it is an isolated incident. Nevertheless, Dunkin’ Donuts corporate should issue an apology to the NYPD and until that happens, I have asked detectives and their families to refrain from patronizing the stores.”
Shortly after the announcement, Dunkin’ Donuts issued an apology, but Palladino was unimpressed with its sincerity and implied denial.
The head of the local police union then then alluded to de Blasio’s culpability in turning the city against the NYPD and generating an atmosphere of hostility toward cops in the Big Apple.
“Political leaders in this city have encouraged this type of behavior by constantly demonizing cops and pushing their decriminalization agenda,” Palladino impressed. “It’s time for the same politicians to step up, take some responsibility and condemn what occurred.”
It was reported on Thursday that de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner James O’Neil decried the Dunkin’ Donuts employee for refusing service to the police officers, with Corporate Dunkin’ Donuts reportedly issuing a statement claiming that the franchise owner had personally apologized to both officers.
“Our franchisees are committed to serving each and every guest with respect and courtesy,” the corporate statement declared, according to NY.Eater.com’s NYC Restaurant News.
Boycott intensified
Despite Dunkin’ Donuts’ statement responding to the incident and the alleged apology, it appears that the NYPD has stepped up its boycott, as Palladino voiced his reasoning for continuing its campaign against the donut giant, noting that its corporate statements were vague and laced with doubt as to whether a true rejection of service actually took place.
“Since the story was reported, the union office received a lot of feedback from active and retired members supporting the boycott,” Palladino announced, according to Breitbart. “I know that Dunkin Donuts supports law enforcement, which is why I am disappointed that their official statements are weak and suggest denial.”
So police are continuing to let their frustration with the donut chain be known.
“When asked for directions to the nearest store by a member of the public, one police officer said: ‘I’m not allowed to do that,’” Breitbart News reported Monday.
Another sign of the continued boycott was also reported.
“[A]nother sergeant was spotted walking into his local police department with a tray full of generic, non-branded coffee … ‘No D&D in the 7-3,’ he announced,” Breitbart’s Ben Kew informed.
Contradicting accounts
Sources briefed law enforcement on what took place at the Dunkin’ Donuts, as the plainclothes patrol officers assigned to the 73rd Precinct’s detective squad were recalled entering the fast food donut shop just after noon to purchase some Baskin-Robbins items.
“After waiting in line behind a customer, the cops – who were wearing suit pants, shirts and ties, with their badges and pistols on their belts – approached the counter, but were ignored by a clerk who instead asked a man standing behind them what he wanted, sources said,” the Post revealed.
The sources then explained that the man who gave the Dunkin’ Donuts clerk his order upon request then pointed out to the employee behind the counter that the officers in front of him should have had their orders taken first.
“These two guys were in front of me,” the customer who was initially behind the cops insisted.
But the employee behind the counter acknowledged the police officers’ position in line unapologetically.
“Yeah, I know, but I don’t serve cops,” the clerk responded to the customer who should have ordered after the cops.
However, a Dunkin Donuts manager who was working during the incident attempted to discredit the police officers’ and other eyewitnesses’ accounts, contending that the officers did not know where to order their food.
“These two men in shirts and ties – who I later found out were police – must have never come to this Dunkin’ Donuts before, because instead of waiting in the line where you order, they waited at the counter where you pick up your order,” the manager – who wished to remain anonymous – told the Post. “You can see on the security tape: they stand here for five minutes, while other customers were being served. One customer even ordered ice cream, and they must’ve not like[d] that because they left the store.”
Even though the manager said a video recording corroborated his account, he refused to let the Post view the video, but he continued to plead that his employee did not refuse the officers service.
“[The store] started getting phone calls from people saying they were police, asking, ‘Why didn’t you serve these officers?’” the manager added. “And I kept trying to explain that we serve everyone, we have nothing but respect for the police, and that they were standing at the wrong counter. It was busy at the time, and we were busy serving customers.”
Blue service matters
Public outrage over the incident has surfaced from beyond the boundaries of the Empire State.
“[A] woman from Tennessee was so angered by the story that she joined in the boycott and donated to an NYPD charity, urging Dunkin’ Donuts to do the same,” Breitbart noted.
She took to social media to let her disgust over the disrespect for law enforcement be known.
“I donated to @nycpolicefdtn in honor of @NYPD73Pct,” Melinda Cox Hall posted on Twitter Sunday. “I challenge @DunkinDonuts to make substantial donation #BackTheBlue.”
The Post reported that $2,000 has already been raised in the effort to support the pro-NYPD initiative.
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