WILKES-BARRE - A uniformed Wilkes-Barre police officer entered the Kidder Street Wendy's on Sunday afternoon and ordered a single hamburger combo, without cheese, pickles and onions, a baked potato and a regular iced tea with lemon. The entire meal cost a little over $5.The officer signed a receipt and waltzed out the door without paying a cent.
Can that greasy, made-to-order fast food hamburger- and the sides -buy police protection?
Ethics issues surrounding the policy of gifting vary by police department. There are no state-level regulations against the practice, but Lindenmuth said accepting gifts can create a public perception that certain businesses curry favor with patrolmen because of handouts and freebies.
In a past life I worked at a resort in the Poconos that offered free meals to the state police. Sometime we would have 10 troopers eating in the employee area of the dining room at once. This wasn't burgers but prime rib and lobster. I didn't think it was right and raised an objection only to be told to shut up. On the rare occasion when we needed the police we would still wait an hour for them to show up if it wasn't supper time. One of the cops who regularly put on the feed bag even gave me a ticket for an expired inspection sticker. I'm not sure it buys you extra protection but it doesn't look good.
It's all a bunch of bullshit. My family also gave out free food when we owned a fast food chain of restaurants, back in the 70's and 80's. It was the norm. I don't think there was any favors done. Actually, in Nanticoke, where it was most prevalent, the cops were inept and of no help when the high school kids would vandalize the restaurant. I believe my dad wanted to stop the practice but was afraid of the repercussions.
ReplyDeleteSOme cops are alright; but its the young ones--the "State Police Wannabees" that really tick me off. Recognizing that we live in a Democracy, I would be willing to bet that few if any of them ever read the Bill of Rights. Most of them are a-holes.
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