Cops kicked out of Denny's for having guns; chief bans Denny's

[Brian in Mesa]

Cops kicked out of Denny's for having guns; chief bans Denny's

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-cops-dennys-guns-20130103,0,6803203.story

Are you a cop? Do you carry a gun? Don't go to the Denny's in Belleville, Ill.

You are not allowed, the police chief says. Not after what happened Tuesday.

The flapjacks -- sorry, the flap -- began when several on-duty detectives with the Belleville Police Department dropped in to Denny's for some on-duty noshing, according to local media.

They had their badges and their guns, but as detectives, not their uniforms, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. This bothered a patron who then complained to a manager, David Rice, who then complained to one of the detectives: Please take your gun to your car or leave. No guns allowed.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Denny's: Open 24/7 -- unless you're a Belleville police officer with a weapon

http://www.bnd.com/2013/01/02/2445297/belleville-chief-bans-on-duty.html

Police Chief William Clay has banned all on-duty police officers from eating at Denny's Restaurant on South Illinois Street after a detective was asked to remove her gun or leave the restaurant on New Year's Day.

"All sworn (uniformed/non-uniformed) officers have been prohibited from entering Denny's Restaurant at 1130 South Illinois for any meal or coffee breaks while on duty," Clay said in a released statement. "Additionally, no officers may enter the restaurant off-duty if in uniform."

At the time of the incident, all the detectives were wearing plain clothes, according to Sax. He said three of the detectives had their badges clipped on their belt next to their duty weapon, and the other two had their badges hanging from a chain around their necks, all in plain sight. There were also several portable police radios on the table for the working detectives to monitor other police activities.

 

[Zeno]

How stupid of the Denny's owner...just makes no sense. This will probably have a bigger backlash from the local PBA or FOP too, it likely won't be one agency boycotting the place but all of them in the local area. Stupid manager should be fired after he apologizes.

 

[Southpaw]

Let them eat donuts. If the incident was cleared up, the Chief and cops have an ego problem.

At least they weren't described as 3 fat guys to expedite their order delivery.

 

[Linderbee]

This was kinda my thought. Police officers need to realize that especially right now, the nation as a whole is very raw regarding gun violence. What happened affects some more deeply than others, and people right now are scared. Rather than furthering an entirely separate issue of "us vs. them", the police are acting like aholes in this matter. Awesome.

 

[desertdawg]

Well, I know of a great Denny's to rob.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Well, I know of a great Denny's to rob.

How? Are you going to shove a carrot in their face and demand money? In case you hadn't heard, they don't allow firearms inside the restaurant!

Steve

 

[Shane]

Let them eat donuts. If the incident was cleared up, the Chief and cops have an ego problem.

At least they weren't described as 3 fat guys to expedite their order delivery.

This was kinda my thought. Police officers need to realize that especially right now, the nation as a whole is very raw regarding gun violence. What happened affects some more deeply than others, and people right now are scared. Rather than furthering an entirely separate issue of "us vs. them", the police are acting like aholes in this matter. Awesome.

No freaking way. I don't care what peoples feelings are regarding guns right now. These were on duty cops with badges out and there is no mistaking what they were. The Manager was a complete douche. If the Cops want to boycott a restaurant for pulling this? So be it. Serves the business right. Any business owner especially bars and restaurants that I have ever spoken to enjoy having the cops around and feel its a deterrent and helps the business overall. The manager cow toed to some patron who probably was driving like an ass and got a ticket the day before or is just a cop hater. The Manager the month before that.

Completely lame and I applaud the dept. for taking such action.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

They should have told the complaining customer to move to another seat or leave if it bothered her so much.

 

[Linderbee]

No freaking way. I don't care what peoples feelings are regarding guns right now. These were on duty cops with badges out and there is no mistaking what they were. The Manager was a complete douche. If the Cops want to boycott a restaurant for pulling this? So be it. Serves the business right. Any business owner especially bars and restaurants that I have ever spoken to enjoy having the cops around and feel its a deterrent and helps the business overall. The manager cow toed to some patron who probably was driving like an ass and got a ticket the day before or is just a cop hater. The Manager the month before that.

Completely lame and I applaud the dept. for taking such action.

While I wholeheartedly disagree with everything you state above, and your assumptions are ridiculous, I did fail to mention that I feel the management of the Denny's DID handle it poorly, and should have told the customers that no, he wasn't going to ask them to remove their guns or leave.

btw, they were on-duty DETECTIVES, not cops in uniform, so they very well could have been mistaken for what they were. I can buy a "badge" that looks real enough online. People are scared...and rightfully so.

Again, I feel management should not have bent to the customer's complaint, but I do understand the customer's fears.

 

[Linderbee]

Oh, and according to the 2nd article posted, it was NOT known that they were police officers until AFTER the manager told them that they had to remove their guns, as Denny's has a no-weapons policy.

 

[Linderbee]

AND, before they ever even left the restaurant, the General Manager got involved and told the officers that they did not have to leave, or remove their weapon. The officers decided at that point that they were too embarrassed to stay, and left.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

The first manager didn't even know the policy and stated that there was a sign that said "Only uniformed police can carry guns." No sign says that at all.

Guy is a clown that should have deferred to his boss. He's in over his head and making crap up.

Sure the cops left. Management screwed up horribly and made them feel unwelcome. Once a scene had been made they just thought it would be better to leave the situation.

What should they have done? Taken their seats and thumbed their nose to the complaining customer?

 

[Linderbee]

The first manager didn't even know the policy and stated that there was a sign that said "Only uniformed police can carry guns." No sign says that at all.

Guy is a clown that should have deferred to his boss. He's in over his head and making crap up.

Sure the cops left. Management screwed up horribly and made them feel unwelcome. Once a scene had been made they just thought it would be better to leave the situation.

What should they have done? Taken their seats and thumbed their nose to the complaining customer?

A) The cops say no such sign exists. Denny's says it does. He said, she said. We don't know who is correct.

Rice went on to state there was a sign on the door indicating weapons were only allowed in the restaurant if officers were in uniform.

Sax said there was no sign posted on the door of the restaurant stating police officers must be in uniform if they have a weapon.

B) He did defer to his boss, once the boss got involved.

C) ONE member of management screwed up mildly, not horribly. He was incorrect in what the policy is, and the senior member of management did his best to correct the situation. Have you never been wronged & then apologized to? Are you this unforgiving of mistakes in all areas of your life?

D) Yes, they should have sat down & finished eating, and as I stated before, it was then the management's responsibility to handle the complaining customer. Perhaps if it were explained to them that they were police officers, the customers would have been just fine.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

At the time of the incident, all the detectives were wearing plain clothes, according to Sax. He said three of the detectives had their badges clipped on their belt next to their duty weapon, and the other two had their badges hanging from a chain around their necks, all in plain sight. There were also several portable police radios on the table for the working detectives to monitor other police activities.

Hmmm. Tough to figure out that they are cops.

So sick of people that complain about stuff like this.

Chances are that the complaining customer knew they were cops and didn't care - they just freak out at the sight of ANY gun.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

It doesn't matter any longer.

Hopefully other places will educate their employees on corporate policy.

Belleville police chief lifts Denny's ban after stir over officers' guns

http://www.wthitv.com/dpp/news/illi...ys-ban-after-stir-over-officers-guns_90538396

The police chief in Belleville says his officers will no longer be banned from dining at Denny's after a meeting between the chief and an executive with the restaurant.

Police Chief William Clay imposed the Denny's ban after several detectives were told they couldn't have their guns inside the restaurant in Belleville. But Clay lifted that ban after he talked yesterday with Denny's operations director Van Catchings.

Sax says Catchings apologized and said the manager's request was inconsistent with Denny's corporate policy, which welcomes any law enforcement officers to carry their weapon.

 

[Shane]

Chances are that the complaining customer knew they were cops and didn't care - they just freak out at the sight of ANY gun.

Or hate the cops in general or got a ticket the day before.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

A) The cops say no such sign exists. Denny's says it does. He said, she said. We don't know who is correct.

Yes we do. Denny's operations director Van Catchings says "Denny's corporate policy welcomes any law enforcement officer to carry their weapon."

I've never seen a sign in any business specifying that police must be in uniform to wear a weapon. Sounded odd as soon as I read it in the story.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Oh, and according to the 2nd article posted, it was NOT known that they were police officers until AFTER the manager told them that they had to remove their guns, as Denny's has a no-weapons policy.

I find this very difficult to believe. If you were the typical Denny's assistant manager or whatever this guy was, would you demand a table full of armed men and women exit the building if you thought they weren't cops? I think the only reason he felt secure enough to challenge armed patrons was because they were clearly law enforcement.

Steve

 

[Linderbee]

Guess I just give people the benefit of the doubt a lot more than you guys do. I probably am a happier person because of it. I guess I'm cool with that. Must suck to think the worst of people so much.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Guess I just give people the benefit of the doubt a lot more than you guys do. I probably am a happier person because of it. I guess I'm cool with that. Must suck to think the worst of people so much.

 

[Linderbee]

Yep.

 

[Shane]

Guess I just give people the benefit of the doubt a lot more than you guys do. I probably am a happier person because of it. I guess I'm cool with that. Must suck to think the worst of people so much.

Im as happy as a pig in ****.

The manager was a douche and undefendable IMO. Its ok to disagree we usually do.

You choose to try and see the good in people. I try to see people for what they are and not sugarcoat it.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Guess I just give people the benefit of the doubt a lot more than you guys do. I probably am a happier person because of it. I guess I'm cool with that. Must suck to think the worst of people so much.

I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt also but I think it goes well beyond to accept that this guy truly didn't know they were police officers until after he demanded they get rid of their weapons or leave. Illinois does not allow public carry, if he didn't know they were cops then he casually walked up to a table of armed criminals and tried to kick them out. That's just not credible. He only felt comfortable accosting them in the first place because he knew he was safe in doing so, IMO.

Steve

 

[UncleChris]

No freaking way. I don't care what peoples feelings are regarding guns right now. These were on duty cops with badges out and there is no mistaking what they were. The Manager was a complete douche. If the Cops want to boycott a restaurant for pulling this? So be it. Serves the business right. Any business owner especially bars and restaurants that I have ever spoken to enjoy having the cops around and feel its a deterrent and helps the business overall. The manager cow toed to some patron who probably was driving like an ass and got a ticket the day before or is just a cop hater. The Manager the month before that.

Completely lame and I applaud the dept. for taking such action.

Bingo. Spot on, Shane!!!