Police officers say they were asked to leave Arizona Starbucks

Police officers were reportedly asked to move or leave a Starbucks location in Tempe, Arizona. 

The Tempe Officers Association said in a series of Saturday tweets that on Thursday that six officers who purchased drinks were asked by a barista to move out of sight of a customer who “did not feel safe” because of the police presence or leave. 

The association noted that the officers did leave. {mosads}

“This treatment of public safety workers could not be more disheartening,” the organization wrote. “While the barista was polite, making such a request at all was offensive. Unfortunately, such treatment has become all too common in 2019.”

The Hill has reached out to Starbucks for comment. Reggie Borges, a spokesperson for the coffee company, told The Arizona Republic that it is still working to get details on the incident. 

“We have a deep respect for the Tempe Police and their service to the community,” he said. “We’ve reached out to the Tempe Police Department and Tempe Officers Association to better understand what happened and apologize. We want everyone in our stores to feel welcomed and the incident described is not indicative of what we want any of our customers to feel in our stores.”

Don’t appreciate @Starbucks asking our #Tempe cops to leave your establishment on the #4thofjuly2019. Several of those cops are #veterans who fought for this country! #ZeroRespect pic.twitter.com/oGaDKhlYX3

— Tempe Officers Association (@ToaAz) July 5, 2019

1/4 A statement from the TOA on The July 4th incident and Starbucks’ treatment of police officers:

Yesterday, on Independence Day, six Tempe police officers stopped by the Starbucks at Scottsdale Road and McKellips for coffee. The officers paid for their drinks…

— Tempe Officers Association (@ToaAz) July 6, 2019

2/4 and stood together having a cup of coffee before their long 4th of July shift. They were approached by a barista, who knew one of the officers by name, because he is a regular at that location. The barista said that a customer “did not feel safe” because of the police…

— Tempe Officers Association (@ToaAz) July 6, 2019

3/4 ..presence. 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..

— Tempe Officers Association (@ToaAz) July 6, 2019

4/4.. at all was offensive. 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.

— Tempe Officers Association (@ToaAz) July 6, 2019

Following reports on the incident, #DumpStarbucks and #BoycottStarbucks trended on Twitter in the U.S. Saturday.