A police officer from Kiefer, Oklahoma, got more than he bargained for when he made a Starbucks run on Thanksgiving Day for his dispatchers.
According to Kiefer Police Chief Johnny O’Mara, one of his officers went in to pick up five drinks that were going to be delivered to dispatchers — and when he picked them up, the word “PIG” was on the labels in place of a name.
“That’s really gut wrenching, especially knowing that these cups were going to dispatchers. These people are there waiting for 911 calls to come in,” O’Mara told local ABC affiliate KTUL.
O’Mara shared a photo of one of the cups along with his thoughts on the incident in a Facebook post that quickly reached thousands.
“So… one of my on-duty officers decides to do something nice for our dispatchers,” O’Mara’s post began. “It’s Thanksgiving Day; our dispatchers are under appreciated as it is. My officer goes to Starbucks to get the dispatchers coffee as a thank you for all they do (especially when they’re working a holiday.) This is what he gets for being nice.”
“What irks me is the absolute and total disrespect for a police officer who, instead of being home with family and enjoying a meal and a football game, is patrolling his little town,” the post continued, and although O’Mara noted that a phone call to the Starbucks had netted an apology and a promise to fix the labels on the cups, it was clear that he felt the damage had already been done.
“This cup of coffee for a ‘pig’ is just another little flag,” he continued. “It’s another tiny symptom and a nearly indiscernible shout from a contemptuous, roaring and riotous segment of a misanthropic society that vilifies those who stand for what’s right and glorifies the very people who would usher in the destruction of the social fabric. It’s another tiny pinprick into the heart of men and women who are asking themselves more often: ‘Why am I doing this?'”
“Just pour the coffee, please,” O’Mara concluded, adding, “Thank you, first responders, for risking it all this Thanksgiving away from your families. If you’re looking for coffee use a place where you pour your own and you’re certain of what’s in it. Stay safe; go home.”
CNN also reported that Starbucks spokesman Jory Mendes gave an official statement on the situation. “We are deeply sorry to the law enforcement officer who experienced this. We have also apologized directly to him and we are working to connect with the police chief as well as to express our remorse. This language is offensive to all law enforcement and is not representative of the deep appreciation we have for police officers who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe,” the statement said.
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