Most popular place to eat for cops?

[JC]

For someone who is so adamantly against the capitalist regime I would think you'd be ecstatic about anyone getting something free from a company like starbucks.

Seriously?  That's your answer?  How lazy of you to resort to sarcasm in the middle of a discussion. 

I'm sure you're being facitious.

But as a serious response; you're charting into Bosrant territory if you're suggesting a business that doesn't offer police discounts leads to an unholy amount of ticketed customers.

Ok, maybe I am giving you too much credit.

Lets say I store owner A gives officer B a free doughnut and coffee on a regular basis.  One day, store owner A is driving home and is speeding, officer B pulls him over, how do you think that interaction will occur?  Is it not possible that Officer B will let Store owner A off without giving him a ticket simply because Mr. A gave officer B free food I think you already know that the answer is yes and it is that conflict I am questioning because it does not end with doughnuts and coffee.

[buckethead]

There is always such a possibility in every legal occurrence.

It could be a neighbor, or former girlfriend or any other of a million possibilities that might have one person treated differently than another. The human condition is with us, for at least the remainder of our lives on Earth. It sounds like absolutism creeping in. Not a realistic approach.

If it were $10,000.00 in cash the officer was recieveing from a vendor, foul play and preferrential treatment would be much more likely, but I do have enough faith in humanity to allow for a free coffee or 25% discount for a taco.

The power that comes with being a police officer is much more seductive and potentially corrupting than a $1.80 big gulp cafe americana.

[Shwaz]

You have a knack for painting yourself into a corner in these discussions and then turn flippant.

You could argue hypothetical conspiracies for just about anything & everything but that doesn't mean you're making a valid argument against the national donut discount program.

[JC]

You have a knack for painting yourself into a corner in these discussions and then turn flippant.

You could argue hypothetical conspiracies for just about anything & everything but that doesn't mean you're making a valid argument against the national donut discount program.

So you are saying that it is not possible for an officer to go easy on an offending vendor when said vendor gives discounted or free food? 

Buckethead has already admitted it to be a possibility, although he thinks it doesn't matter but at least he is willing to concede the point. 

A little anecdote, we had this GREAT restaurant in NY.  They also had excellent prices and were ALWAYS busy.  Every time I would go there for lunch there would be an officer ILLEGALLY parked in the fire hydrant getting food.  The remainder of the space was taken up by delivery boys running in and out.  The delivery boys would also drive like crap, peeling out, speeding up and down the street, they were a nuisance and a hazard.  This always went on, the delivery boys always parked illegally because the hydrant was directly in front of the restaurant. The other piece is that the officers were given free food!  Now, tell me, was this restaurant paying for their delivery boys parking space, right in front of the restaurant on a main st with little parking?  Why were the police ignoring this infraction and participating in it in many cases?  What if a pedestrian were hit while one of these kids, who knew they could get away with driving like idiots (right under the officers noses) actually hit and killed someone? 

I understand it does not seem like a big deal but ambiguity in the relationship between private citizens and officers leads to more severe problems.

[Sportmotor]

JC did you file a formal complant against the officers? If not then shhhh.

[Shwaz]

You have a knack for painting yourself into a corner in these discussions and then turn flippant.

You could argue hypothetical conspiracies for just about anything & everything but that doesn't mean you're making a valid argument against the national donut discount program.

So you are saying that it is not possible for an officer to go easy on an offending vendor when said vendor gives discounted or free food?  

Buckethead has already admitted it to be a possibility, although he thinks it doesn't matter but at least he is willing to concede the point.  

A little anecdote, we had this GREAT restaurant in NY.  They also had excellent prices and were ALWAYS busy.  Every time I would go there for lunch there would be an officer ILLEGALLY parked in the fire hydrant getting food.  The remainder of the space was taken up by delivery boys running in and out.  The delivery boys would also drive like crap, peeling out, speeding up and down the street, they were a nuisance and a hazard.  This always went on, the delivery boys always parked illegally because the hydrant was directly in front of the restaurant. The other piece is that the officers were given free food!  Now, tell me, was this restaurant paying for their delivery boys parking space, right in front of the restaurant on a main st with little parking?  Why were the police ignoring this infraction and participating in it in many cases?  What if a pedestrian were hit while one of these kids, who knew they could get away with driving like idiots (right under the officers noses) actually hit and killed someone?  

I understand it does not seem like a big deal but ambiguity in the relationship between private citizens and officers leads to more severe problems.

The scenario is just as likely to happen as officer b giving store owner a a ticket for speeding.

I've spent a great amount of time in NY (I'm guessing you're talking about the city) and can tell you first hand that the majority of driving is reckless there! If the officer in your story was parked illegally why would I expect him to ticket some delivery boys for the same offense. That falls more on the officer than the 'free donut system'.

Here's another story... I worked as a delivery driver when I was 18 delivering irrigation supplies in a large flatbed truck. I broke almost every traffic law under the sun just about everyday while out on deliveries. I was pulled over maybe a handful of times but never once ticketed... and there were no irrigation material discounts given to any officers that I was aware of.

My point is delivery drivers and commercial vehicles seem to get a pass just about everywhere. Ask a pizza delivery guy next time he comes to the house how much he gets away with. The job demands it.

I ended up losing the delivery job when the company did their annual check on my driving record and found I had too many points to insure as a company driver. All of those points I racked up in my shitty little car didn't even compare to the things I got away with in my work truck.

[JC]

Keep guessing, I am not talking about the city, I am talking about a northern Hudson River Valley town. 

Again I ask, is it possible or not for someone who has given an officer a gift to receive special treatment for giving said gift?  That is simply the question, I am not implying anything else!

[JC]

There is always such a possibility in every legal occurrence.

It could be a neighbor, or former girlfriend or any other of a million possibilities that might have one person treated differently than another. The human condition is with us, for at least the remainder of our lives on Earth. It sounds like absolutism creeping in. Not a realistic approach.

If it were $10,000.00 in cash the officer was recieveing from a vendor, foul play and preferrential treatment would be much more likely, but I do have enough faith in humanity to allow for a free coffee or 25% discount for a taco.

The power that comes with being a police officer is much more seductive and potentially corrupting than a $1.80 big gulp cafe americana.

Alright, officers spend what, 8 hours a day on duty, this typically encompasses two meals.  Lets say said officer works 5 days a week that's 260 days a year, everyday that officer gets a free coffee at Starbucks, whats that run, between 2 and 5 dollars?  I will call it 3.50 for the purpose of argument, and said officer averages a free meal between the two he/she is at work.  Lets say the average meal is 11.00 dollars.  That's 14.50 a day, times 260 is $3,770 a year, now, how long does the average cops career last?  15 years counting for attrition, now we are talking $56,550.  This seems like a potential problem to me, maybe not, idk. 

[buckethead]

IMO that is but a small perk for a lifetime career. Let's say the cop gets killed in the line of duty, while attempting to protect a private citizen from assault within one of these establishements.

Does that seem like a fair tradeoff?

[JC]

IMO that is but a small perk for a lifetime career. Let's say the cop gets killed in the line of duty, while attempting to protect a private citizen from assault within one of these establishements.

Does that seem like a fair tradeoff?

Nice diversion attempt. 

[buckethead]

Simply throwing another over the top hypothetical straw man on the fire.

It was getting cold in here.

[JC]

Simply throwing another over the top hypothetical straw man on the fire.

It was getting cold in here.

Can you please point out the first straw man?

[buckethead]

Simply throwing another over the top hypothetical straw man on the fire.

It was getting cold in here.

Can you please point out the first straw man?

50 large from various venders in the form of free coffee and doughnuts over the period of 30 - 40 years, is hardly an adequate bribe. It's a perk. It gets officers into business establishments. They want that.

Just because an officer of questionable ethics might accept a handjob for a warning ticket doesn't mean cops should not be able to use a measure of discretion and common sense when writing tickets.

[JC]

Simply throwing another over the top hypothetical straw man on the fire.

It was getting cold in here.

Can you please point out the first straw man?

50 large from various venders in the form of free coffee and doughnuts over the period of 30 - 40 years, is hardly an adequate bribe. It's a perk. It gets officers into business establishments. They want that.

Just because an officer of questionable ethics might accept a handjob for a warning ticket doesn't mean cops should not be able to use a measure of discretion and common sense when writing tickets.

Ok, I completely understand what you are saying, however there are many many private citizens who cannot offer the perk of free food or discounted services to get the protection that business owners are getting or the favors for committing minor infractions.  This just seems black and white to me, like something that really wouldn't be that hard to comply with.  What if a restaurant inspector got free lunches, or a building inspector got a few free gallons of paint from a job site?  Where does this end and if there is this lack of clarity and ambiguity, how does one know when they have over stepped the line?

[buckethead]

I see your point, but still believe it is a community's best interest to see businesses within the community protected.

We could raise the pay of police to help allow for meals and coffee while on duty, but I am okay with businesses giving small benefits to uniformed officers on duty. If it turns into boosterism and bribery, that is another matter.