"Meat Eaters" and "Grass Eaters."

what harm is there in taking free food and coffee/soda from a store that wants to give it all free to cops... (not sure about the whole donut thing...)...

- should coffee be free for cops?

I say "No;" but I don't drink coffee... lol.

... now free soda... hmnnnnn.....

The old argument that cops don't make a lot of money and the businesses want to offer free food and drinks to "help out" isn't really true.

Agencies like Thornton, Ft. Collins, APD and others have cops after five years making around $75,000+ (true... and many top out, without supervisory status around $80-100K after 10 years!). That is a lot more than an English/History/Philosophy/Art... professor with a doctorate is making after 10 years of teaching in many four-year and community colleges... Same with school teachers...

In reality, diners and mom-and-pops like the cops to drop in for the free java and donuts because that helps keep the riff raff away...

The problem is... after a cop has taken a few free meals from a diner or a small store how can they write the owner a ticket for speeding later, or arrest them for a DUI, or a liquor code violation?

Is there anything that should be discounted or offered free to police?

Full disclosure - when I had my gym I offered a 10% discount to all fire, lifeguards, and law enforcement on Oahu.

Let's get started here - do you know thedifference between a "meat eater" and a "grass eater"in law enforcement relative to "free" stuff?

Assume you have just graduated from the Academy and you are assigned to a two-person patrol unit with a veteran police officer. The two of you take a lunch break at a local restaurant. When you ask for your check, the veteran asks, "Why are you doing that? The food is free to us. That is why we stopped at this place."

• What actions would you take and why?