Starbucks Issues Statement Apologizing to Arizona Police Officers After Barista Asked Them to Leave

Starbucks has issued a statement apologizing to a group of Arizona police who were asked to leave one of their stores because another customer complained that their presence made them “feel unsafe” on the Fourth of July.

The corporation issued an apology to Tempe Police Chief Sylvia Moir, the six officers who were kicked out of the store and the rest of the department.

According to the Tempe Officers Association, the officers were asked to either leave the coffee shop or move out of the ridiculous customer’s line of sight.

“When those officers entered the store and a customer raised a concern over their presence, they should have been welcomed and treated with dignity and the utmost respect” by employees, Starbucks said in a statement, reported by Bloomberg News. “Instead, they were made to feel unwelcome and disrespected, which is completely unacceptable.”

Starbucks had faced significant backlash over the incident after the Tempe Officers Association blasted them on Twitter.

“The barista asked the officers to move out of the customer’s line of sight or to leave. Disappointed, the officers did in fact leave. This treatment of public safety workers could not be more disheartening. While the barista was polite, making such a request at all was offensive,” TOA said in their tweeted statement. “Unfortunately, such treatment has become all too common in 2019. We know this is not a national policy at Starbucks Corporate and we look forward to working collaboratively with them on this important dialogue.”

 

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