There is always a cop in the McDs in downtown Seattle, and I think it is actually SPD, not a rent-a-cop/private security guard. I'll see if I can verify after work through the windows, as I will never, ever go in there.
Then I sorta have to ask why public funds are so obviously benefiting one private business so much, or atleast ask if McDonalds is doing something in return for such a service. I guess I'd say a cop's presence would probably deter the incident from happening at all, but if it actually happened, things still might be uglier.
There's nothing public about it. The cops are working on their own time as employees of the store they're protecting. All PD's have policies about off duty security work. Some don't allow it. Others allow it but not in uniform. Yet others like Dallas let's you work in uniform. The Central Market down the street has an off-duty tactical officer riding around on a mountain bike all day.
I'm fine with that, but I"m not sure that's always the case.
I suspect that thanks to our good friend vicarious liability, it usually is the case. Police departments have enough exposure to lawsuits. The ones that arise from actions during a 12 hour duty shift are a cost of doing business. They don't need the added exposure from working security at every grocery store in town, as well. Barney Fife plugs some kid for shoplifting, you want Mom and Dad suing the Try-and-save, not the police department. That's why most departments don't want their cops wearing the uniform for such jobs.
Topic: McDonald's Cashier beatdown (Read 12209 times)
