Oregon Police Officer Asked to Leave Vegan Coffee Shop

[HK4U]

FOXNews.com - Oregon Police Officer Asked to Leave Vegan Coffee Shop

Oregon Police Officer Asked to Leave Vegan Coffee Shop

By Joshua Rhett Miller

Published June 04, 2010

| FOXNews.com

The Red & Black Cafe is no place for a man in blue.

Police Officer James Crooker was asked to leave the vegan coffee shop in Portland, Ore., last month, a discriminatory move but not altogether uncommon at the java joint, a detective told FoxNews.com.

Crooker, 36, a 2-year veteran of the force, entered the Red & Black Café on May 18 and bought a cup of coffee before a customer approached him and said she appreciated his efforts.

That's when John Langley, one of the co-owners of the collectively managed shop, approached the cop and asked him to leave.

Crooker left immediately. It was the first time something like this has happened to him in his nine-year law enforcement career, he told The Oregonian newspaper.

"The places that I've been kicked out of before have been places like the methadone clinic," he said. "You're there to protect them, but on the other hand they don't know what that involves. Being gracious is part of it."

Detective Mary Wheat, a spokeswoman for the Portland Police Department, characterized the incident as a "fluke" but noted the city's ongoing tension between the police and some members of the community.

"This is Portland," Wheat told FoxNews.com. "We have been dealing with that for years and years and years. It's a very liberal city. We have anarchists here and we deal with them on a regular basis."

The coffee shop attracts homeless individuals and activists, the newspaper reported, and Wheat said it is known to be "not friendly" to officers who work the area.

"Most officers would know that this is not a coffee shop that's friendly to police," she said. "It's obviously discrimination to police. He works that area and he can't go in for a cup of coffee -- it's not fair."

The customer who approached Crooker, Cornelia Seigneur, is a freelancer for The Oregonian who blogged about the incident on her website.

"As I spoke with the café owner, I really never got a direct answer as to why he personally felt unsafe with a police officer in his establishment," Seigneur wrote. "Bottom line, I think especially of the policeman I met at the red and black, Officer James Crooker, a human being who should be treated with respect and honor, like all human beings."

Neither Crooker nor Langley could be reached for comment on Friday. An employee who answered the phone at the Red and Black café declined to discuss the incident.

"I've been taking calls about this all day and I'm kind of tired of talking about it," the employee said. "I have a regular job."

[Sooner]

they will get robbed someday and then he will be welcomed.

[HootmonSccy]

But I thought Donuts were Vegan!!!

[NMHunter]

While the officer has nine years as an officer he has only been on that force for two years and very well could have been in that particular area for the first time. If he didn't know they were anti-police he had every reason to feel free to buy a cup of coffee or whatever. The owner has every right to tell him to leave. Unfortunately, the officer is still required to respond to that shop if they call for help.

I doubt I will ever patronize such a store.

[bigrebnc1861]

While the officer has nine years as an officer he has only been on that force for two years and very well could have been in that particular area for the first time. If he didn't know they were anti-police he had every reason to feel free to buy a cup of coffee or whatever. The owner has every right to tell him to leave. Unfortunately, the officer is still required to respond to that shop if they call for help.

I doubt I will ever patronize such a store.

Actually that isn't true according to the SCOTUS the police are not legally respondsible to respond to a call for help.
Police Have No Duty To Protect Individuals
Police Have No Duty to Protect Individuals

[mojo]

Of course if they needed a police officer or fireman and they felt that they didnt respond fast enough for their liking, they would be the first to complain even file charges........hypocrites!!! the all loving accepting of others liberals!!
I personally think he should file a discrimination suit.

[Gamecockfan1963]

And we all sit and wonder why our country is going to hell,,

[HK4U]

Want to bet the don't want CHL holders to carry their guns in there either. Sounds like a good place to avoid to me.

[Bighouse Doc]

Portland has gone totally nuts since I moved out.

My brother came back from Afghanistan and was treated shamefully because he was in uniform.

We always called Portland "Moscow on the Willamette."

-Doc

[NMHunter]

Actually that isn't true according to the SCOTUS the police are not legally respondsible to respond to a call for help.
Police Have No Duty To Protect Individuals
Police Have No Duty to Protect Individuals

I didn't say respond in time to help with a problem even though he probably would try. But he would have to write up an incident report if sent there by his department. As you are probably aware the police cannot be there in time to help most of the time but do investigate after the fact.

I am well aware of several SCOTUS decisions absolving the police from actually "Protecting and Serving" (a common motto of protection services run by criminals, e.g., the "mob") but most officers I am friendly with do try hard to help when possible. Yesterday, I had a conversation with a deputy sheriff about a mutual acquaintance who is having problems with neighbors. We both have been trying to help her, unsuccessfully. She had an ultra-liberal upbringing and just can't seem to work with the tools and information we've given her.