Today I was in a
Starbucks and heard the employees talking about the practice of coffee shops giving police officers free coffee when they come in. The employees all looked down on the practice. Though, it appears that the practice is alive and well in Nanaimo It reminded me of my fabled time spent as a late night doughnut jockey in an sub standard suburban sweatshop turned coffee and doughnut joint outside of Ottawa. The owner basically told me that he expected me to give cops free coffee and doughnuts because that way they would spend more time in the area and keep the undesirables away. Of course, I relished being the only employee who charged the cops as they strolled in expecting a
bribe free coffee.
Of course this practice is completely contemptible and when examined as coffee for protection the whole practice stinks to high heaven. We look down at countries where bribes are expected and criticise places that are corrupt, but the difference is a matter of degree and not category. That is to say the cops and coffee shops that take part in this practice are in the same category as those places that we criticise for corruption because the cops accept cash for increased protection; cash or coffee is a matter of scale.
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4 comments:
The quality of the coffee is a factor here. Starbucks coffee is a potent poison. It is the police who need protection.
While I agree that if the intention is to bribe, it is morally incorrect. However, I think the majority of coffee shop owners do this out of appreciation for the risk they take in their daily lives. It's a small way of saying 'thank you' to those who service society in an often thankless way.
You don't have to buy someone something in order to show them you appreciate what they do. You just have to say "Thanks".
I think you'd be surprised at just how much the words are appreciated. If you feel you have to do more buy a policemman something on the last saturday of September (National Police day of Remembrance). A standing offer to provide free coffee is a ploy to increase the police presence in and around your establishment.
I disagree with you cmm. I am a State Trooper and when I enter any coffee establishment (be it Starbucks or otherwise), I *never* expect anything. I do my job to help better this society (in the small ways that I can)---not for free coffee. It's always a nice gesture however when I do get something 'on the house.' I don't patrol that area with more vigilance just because I've been given something. I take it as a sign of appreciation for the risk I take each and every day. Unless you've walked a mile in a cop/trooper's shoes, it's highly ignorant on your part to make such a bold assumption and stigmatize every establishment that offers a police officer/Trooper a break/freebie.
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