New York City police have intensified their boycott of a local Dunkin’ Donuts after a pair of officers were allegedly discriminated against at the coffee and doughnuts mega-chain last week.
The New York Post reported that a sergeant at the 73rd Precinct was spotted Sunday, Aug. 6, walking into station house with trays full of what appeared to be generic, corner-market coffee.
“No D&D in the 7-3,” he proudly declared.
A Union Square officer also refused to give directions to a nearby Dunkin’ store, telling New York Post reporters, “I’m not allowed to do that.”
The mocha melee began last weekend when an employee at the Dunkin’ Dounts/Baskin Robbins on Atlantic Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant reportedly refused to scoop some ice cream for two 73rd Precinct detectives because they were police, according to the paper. The incident prompted police union leaders to call for a boycott of the national DD chain, after which officers within the department followed suit.
The controversy even acted as a boost for NYPD fundraising, as a Tennessee woman forked over $500 to the New York Police Foundation to show her support. Ever since then, at least $2,000 has been sent to the foundation by people outraged over the DD debacle, The New York Post reported.
Official Challenge @DunkinDonuts #BackTheBlue @NYPDnews @nypost @NYPD76Pct @JustTheMax #boycottdunkindonuts @NYPDBklynNorth @NYPDSpecialops pic.twitter.com/z9iEoLo7JT
— Melinda Cox Hall (@melindacoxhall) August 6, 2017
A manager from the Brooklyn franchise apologized following the alleged incident, but a spokeswoman for Dunkin’ Brands maintained that the store’s layout is to blame for the less-than-perfect service the officers received.
The store’s design “put both the crew members and two officers in a difficult situation because it was not clear where to order,” spokeswoman Michelle King said, noting that there are two register areas — one of which isn’t regularly staffed.
The plainclothes officers refuted that explanation, however, saying a store employee explicitly said, “I don’t serve cops.”
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio called the Dunkin’ Donuts worker a “jerk” for refusing to serve the officers.