Starbucks apologizes for ‘anti-police’ incident at California store

Starbucks apologized this weekend after two sheriff’s deputies said they were ignored at a California store.

The coffee chain gave an apology after the Riverside County sheriff’s deputies said they waited for five minutes or more and were refused service. 

The county’s Sheriff Chad Bianco posted about the incident Friday, condemning the Seattle-based chain for having an “anti police culture repeatedly displayed.” 

Two of our deputies were refused service at Starbucks. The anti police culture repeatedly displayed by Starbucks employees must end. https://t.co/XXgjtJ9GcH

— Chad Bianco (@SheriffBianco) December 13, 2019

Bianco said in a released Facebook video that they were also “laughed at” when they asked for assistance. 

“Two of my deputies were completely ignored because they were in uniform,” he said in the video. “Quite honestly, that’s just not acceptable. It can’t be acceptable.’’

A Starbucks spokesperson told The Hill that the incident was inexcusable. 

“We’re deeply sorry and we have reached out to the sheriff to apologize, and we’re hoping we can connect with the deputies directly and apologize as well,” the representative said in a statement. “We’re taking full responsibility for any intentional or unintentional disrespect shown to law enforcement, on whom we depend on every single day.”

The spokesperson added that the workers in question will not be scheduled until an investigation is complete.

This episode follows other anti-police incidents at Starbucks, including when an Oklahoma barista wrote “PIG” on a police officer’s cup and was subsequently suspended. Police officers at a Starbucks in Tempe, Ariz., on July 4 also reported they were asked to move or leave because another customer “did not feel safe” in their presence.

—Updated at 3:56 p.m.