Cop Fired for Demanding Free Coffee

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP)- An internal affairs report says a Daytona Beach police officer demanded free coffee and tea from a Starbucks and threatened employees with slower emergency response times if they refused.

Lt. Major Garvin, a 15-year veteran, was fired July 8. According to the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Chief Mike Chitwood says Garvin recently failed a polygraph test that he insisted on taking.

The coffeehouse's employees claim that since June 2007, Garvin had visited the store as many as six times a night while on duty. Besides demanding free drinks, workers complained that Garvin also cut in front of paying customers.

A telephone listing for Garvin could not be found.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.

I definitely think so, he is no better than some random person stealing from a store. They did the right thing by firing him.

I think the firing was justified, Just another idiot cop hell-bent on showing his authority. Daytona Beach is better off without him on the force.

If the cop hadn't threatened to withhold police protection from them, I'd say an unpaid suspension would suffice; however, he crossed a line with that threat. Part of his punishment should be to force him to work at Starbucks for a few months, lol.

It seems everyone is united on this. I too think the firing was justified-a police
officer shoould have to pay for his coffee just like anybody else. Being a
police officer does not entitle him to special rights or privilages. And he
absolutely crossed a line that no police officer has the right to cross when
he made the threats that he made against the Starbucks employees.

Wasn't there a Starbucks in NY that charged emergency workers $100 and up for a case of bottled water when 9-11 occurred? I may be wrong but I could swear I read that somewhere. If that's the case then this cop is no better.

i worked at coffee bean last year & we gave police officers & firemen free drinks (whatever it may be...coffee, ice blended drinks, lattes, etc) and only charged for their food items. it wasn't required, but it was just a form of courtesy. however, they were amazing & never once gave us attitude. they tipped us more than regular customers did & they were always there when we needed them. lol.
but yes, the cop should've been fired. he's not entitled to free coffee. he can be given free coffee out of respect, but that's not the same at every coffee shop, and he shouldn't have demanded it. and the fact that the threatened them with slower response time in case of an emergency is even worse.

Yes

Wasn't there a Starbucks in NY that charged emergency workers $100 and up for a case of bottled water when 9-11 occurred? I may be wrong but I could swear I read that somewhere. If that's the case then this cop is no better.

:eek: wow. starbucks has enough money that they could've afforded to give them out for free, which they should have. especially to all of the emergency workers who were putting their lives on the line.

glad he was fired. if he had asked instead of demanding, i'd be all for giving him free coffee. look at what they do for us. instead, he wanted to act like a 5 year old. i hate cops who think they're above the law. :mad:

The cop threatening the store was clear unethical behavior and he deserved to be canned. He also compromised the Police Department through his actions.

In my heart I'm all for giving cops and fireman freebies, but if I owned a food store I probably wouldn't - as it might possibly be seen as trying to influence someone - even though we're not talking abt big bucks here; instead I'd contribute heavily to sanctioned fundraising events like a Policeman's Ball, drive to raise $ for vests etc.

When I worked in fast food we gave the cops free drinks. But they never cut in line nor came back 6 or 7 times in a shift. They also either waited their turn, or we'd see them come in and we'd get them their usual. lol

We all know how over the years society has grown used to the subtle bribery of officials (free coffee for cops and firemen, apple for the teacher, etc), so, it's not surprising that this officer felt himself entitled to special favours, and that's the problem; we need to put a stop to all forms of bribery.(As if THAT will ever happen :lol: ) Anyway, the firing was justified. This story reminds me of the "Taxman" story on Corner Gas where Policeman Davis Quinton starts giving out parking tickets to cars in parking lots and stopped at stop signs, to retaliate for the fact that Lacey ( new owner of the coffee shop ) refused to give him free coffee (The way the former owner did) :lol: .

Part of his punishment should be to force him to work at Starbucks for a few months, lol.


He might have no choice now that he is unemployed. lol

Yes, they did the right thing.

He might have no choice now that he is unemployed. lol

Perhaps then he'll get a freebie

I read a longer version of the story and it said that cops do get free cups of regular coffee from that Starbucks. However this guy in addition to the 6 daily visits, was damanding that he get all of this expensive specialty coffee free.

Ay carumba!!!!!

was it officer juan valdez?

was it officer juan valdez?
:rofl: :brent Yes, and his police burro was at his side.

Funny you mention Juan Valdez, there is an outfielder on the local minor league team here, the Scrappers, whose name is Juan Valdez.. I always wonder where his burro is.

Funny you mention Juan Valdez, there is an outfielder on the local minor league team here, the Scrappers, whose name is Juan Valdez.. I always wonder where his burro is.
:rofl:

Okay its spelled slightly different..
http://www.mvscrappers.com/Playerindex.asp?type=B&pageid=27&playerid=446887

^ Close enough. :lol:

^:lol: brings back memories of those corny commercials

So I guess he can forget about free donuts, too, huh?? :p ;) :rofl:

Figures Thunder would be one of only two people to say that the cop should
not have been fired. Thunder has always been a law unto himself on here.
Huh? :confused:

Figures Thunder would be one of only two people to say that the cop should
not have been fired. Thunder has always been a law unto himself on here.
you don't need to attack people just because they voted a different poll option than you did. that starts fights and ruins threads.

I was like, "huh? Thunder" What did that mean. I realized he meant the member James Thunder Early after I read your post Sarah.


Lee was the only one who felt Susan Atkins should be allowed to go free from prison, but no one jumped on his opinion on that. If anything, I admire that someone can find it in his heart to have that kind of sympathy for someone like her.

Cop Fired for Demanding Free Coffee

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP)- An internal affairs report says a Daytona Beach police officer demanded free coffee and tea from a Starbucks and threatened employees with slower emergency response times if they refused.

Lt. Major Garvin, a 15-year veteran, was fired July 8. According to the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Chief Mike Chitwood says Garvin recently failed a polygraph test that he insisted on taking.

The coffeehouse's employees claim that since June 2007, Garvin had visited the store as many as six times a night while on duty. Besides demanding free drinks, workers complained that Garvin also cut in front of paying customers.

A telephone listing for Garvin could not be found.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.


this is the 344th reason why I hate police officers

this is the 344th reason why I hate police officers


Hey, now wait a minute!




;)

While I think it's a nice gesture for coffee shops to offer a free cup of regular coffee to any police officer, firefighter, EMT, or military person I don't think any of them should feel they are entitled to it. I think that's a huge problem with today's society; people feel they're entitled to stuff.

I do think firing him might have been a little harsh. I think he should have been suspended without pay, required to pay for all the coffee he demanded, and warned that any further behavior like this will result in job termination.

Hey, now wait a minute!




;)


well you see so many of them make you look bad

I actually meant to vote yes on this poll, I voted no by accident. Obviously the only choice was to fire him, he was abusing his authority and no one should get away with doing that.

I do think firing him might have been a little harsh.

If he had just demanded free coffee then I would agree but threatening them with slower response times sealed his fate for me.

Hey, now wait a minute!




;)
Present company excepted...:D

I actually meant to vote yes on this poll, I voted no by accident. Obviously the only choice was to fire him, he was abusing his authority and no one should get away with doing that.


Sorry, Thunder

If he had just demanded free coffee then I would agree but threatening them with slower response times sealed his fate for me.

Absolutely - the threat was blatantly unethical behavior (possibly illegal too - lawyers????)

If he had just demanded free coffee then I would agree but threatening them with slower response times sealed his fate for me.
Exactly, not only was he trying to get free coffee, that threat is tantamount to extortion!

He should have been fired. 90% of all police departments devote an entire week during training to focus on abuse of power, including flashing the badge, etc.

This BOZO should have been fired because while he was demanding free coffee, there was probably a crime going on that he should have been ready to go to-lol

He should have been fired. 90% of all police departments devote an entire week during training to focus on abuse of power, including flashing the badge, etc.
They definitely do that where I live. We can't stand the cops around here.

This BOZO should have been fired because while he was demanding free coffee, there was probably a crime going on that he should have been ready to go to-lol

Yep. Just one more reason & there are so many.