Veteran cop fired for demanding free coffee

We are seeing a lot of distaste over law enforcement employees and their ruthlessness. They continue to break laws and now this news.

News Article Link

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35, Orlando) -- A demand for special coffee cost a police officer his job on Wednesday.

Lt. Major Garvin, a long-time officer with the Daytona Beach Police Department, was fired, accused by police of intimidating Starbuck's employees.

Some law enforcements are demanding outright for services and intimidating others to attain those services. Some might view this to be harmless, but is it really harmless? Proper action was taken place where this police officer was fired but how many others in his position have broken their sovereignty to protect the public and intimidate them instead for their demands.

I guess he got his coffee to go.
Hope he got a donut too.

[edit on 18-7-2008 by Alxandro]

I remember when going to college I worked at a 7-11 convienance market graveyard shift,I always gave cops free coffee free food or whatever they wanted,but never had one insist on getting it for free,when your all alone from 11pm to 7 am,nice to have cops hanging out

I had one demand that I provide him with a free newspaper. I thought that was a real abuse of authority because, I was a kid and had to pay for them myself.

I was never comfortable with the policies of some businesses regarding LEO's. The reason they do it is because they appreciate the police presence and it's their way of saying "thank you".

On the other hand, it breeds a kind of contempt in certain types of LEO's that gets out of hand. Some have expectations after a certain period of time. The bullies in the business really come out of the woodwork and the citizenry usually hear or read about them at some point in time.

This is one reason why RateMyCop.com is a good idea. It gives some measure of power back to the people. In one little corner of the world, ordinary citizens have a voice about the injustices visited upon them by the people who are supposed to be responsible for maintaining their rights and freedoms.

It's not much, but it's something.

Sleuth
former LEO

PS: I'm glad this officer was fired, veteran or not. You don't abuse your position that way. This man finally went too far and exposed himself for the rotten human being he is at his core. No one wants a person like that in a police officer's uniform.

The sad thing is that he probably got away with far worse in the years before he fell for this newspaper caper.

[edit on 7/18/08 by Sleuth]

Sad thing about this is that it makes All cops look bad. Most cops are pretty decent people. Unfortunately, it only takes a few zipperheads..
I'm retired, but when I was active, occasionally I would get a cup of coffee. I was ALWAYS prepared to pay for it, and wouldn't have minded doing so. If a merchant chose to give it to me, I didn't turn it down, but wouldn't have held it against the merchant if I had to pay for it.
This guy got what he deserved.