Values On The Street

Frank Borelli Editor-in-Chief Officer.com In the final blog from our previous Editor he stated several of his values with regard to "the street".  I agree with much of what he said, but - from my perspective - some of it is difficult in reality to deal with.  Specifically, "Accepting a free cup of coffee or a half price Whopper is not the sure road to ruin, immediately followed by dealing heroin out of your patrol car. But it cheapens you and your profession. Gratuities are small incentives you provide to people in servant-type work..." I AGREE.  However, I think that there are sometimes circumstances that make it difficult for the patrol officer NOT to take certain types of gratuities such as discounts or gifts.  For instance, I've been to restaurants where the management was quite forceful about giving officers discounts on their meals.  When officers tried NOT to accept the discount then the management personnel could get, well...  let's just say less than cordial.  It was as if they felt insulted.  So, what one officer I know did was to add the discounted amount of the check into the tip he left the server.  That may not seem the perfect solution, but it kept his conscience clear. Another example is the free cup of coffee at the local 7-11.   I know that I tried to pay for that cup of coffee more than once only to have the clerk insist that "cop coffee is free."  A veteran sergeant came up with the solution for that one: whatever the cost of the coffee would be got dropped into the charity bin on the counter.  That sergeant's outlook was that he was still paying for the coffee, but the store representative was choosing to let it go to the charity instead of into the store's till.  Either way, the sergeant had paid for the coffee. Now, let me give you perhaps a slightly more difficult one.  You're working Christmas Day.  There's a family in your town that is and has always been police friendly.  They are supportive and law abiding.  When you're driving by their house Christmas afternoon one of them waves you down and brings you a plate full of Christmas dinner.  Do you take it?  If so, you've accepted a gift.  If not, you may have insulted their attempt at some Christmas Cheer as they try to support the local police. While I fully agree that officers shouldn't go out of their way to find and accept discounts / gratuities, I also recognize the reality that it can sometimes cause more problems than it solves by rejecting one that is extended.  What are your thoughts on such issues?