PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. – The chief of police in Pembroke Pines has received an apology after one of his officers was denied service at a fast-food restaurant in the city, WPLG reports.
Pembroke Pines police spokeswoman Amanda Conwell said a uniformed officer was denied service Tuesday night at the Arby's on Pines Boulevard. The reason, Conwell said, was because the customer was a police officer.
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According to police, the officer was in the drive through of the restaurant when she was told that she would not be served because she was an officer.
WPLG reporter Terrell Forney asked an employee at the restaurant if they had heard about the incident.
"No I didn't," the employee said. "I'm not really at liberty to say even if I was."
"I am offended and appalled that an individual within our community would treat a police officer in such a manner," Police Chief Dan Giustino said in a news release. "It is unacceptable, and I will be contacting the Arby's CEO to demand an apology."
Conwell said Giustino called the restaurant's corporate office and spoke to Arby's executives, who apologized on behalf of their organization. She said Arby's CEO Paul Brown and senior vice president of operations Scott Boatwright assured Giustino that the employee's behavior was "unacceptable and not representative of the company's values."
"Chief Giustino was appreciative and accepted their apology and now considers this matter closed," Conwell said.
Conwell said the incident happened on the same evening that a woman and her daughter visited the Pembroke Pines Police Department to drop off cookies and a "thank you" card.
"We are very proud of the partnerships we have built within our city, and for an incident like this to have happened is very disappointing for everyone," Giustino said.
Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact them at 954-431-2200.