Starbucks has suspended an Oklahoma barista who wrote “PIG” on a police officer’s cup.
In a Facebook post, Kiefer Police Chief Johnny O’Mara says that one of his officers went into a Starbucks on Thanksgiving Day and bought five drinks for some of the dispatchers who were working on the holiday. However, when the officer received his order, the cups had “PIG” where the name of the customer usually goes.
“This is what he gets for being nice,” O’Mara wrote in his post.
“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,” he continued.
According to a Starbucks spokesperson, the barista in question has been suspended “pending the outcome of our investigation into this matter,” the Tulsa World reports.
“This is absolutely unacceptable and we are deeply sorry to the law enforcement officer who experienced this,” Jory Mendes, senior communications manager for Starbucks, told the paper.
“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,” Mended added.