Posted: 10/25/2007 11:02:01 AM EDT
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Where do our LEOs come down on this? My position is 'no' and 'no'. If I'm in a position to pass judgment on someone, I'd hate to have taken them up on any kind of discount. |
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I'm assuming you are talking about POLICE discounts on meals and such. I get a lot more, military retiree and Bass Pro membership discounts for example. I like my way. It avoids hard feeling on the part of the giver. I simply add to the tip enough to cover the total real cost of the meal. It has the side benefit of making the waitress VERY friendly.  As an aside, I don't see why an non-officer would care. |
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At some places in my sector, the food taste 50% better then at other places. At the local 7 11 the coffee is 100% better then the stuff at Dunkin Donuts. I do know a bunch of guys who abuse it though. I think it is up to the owner of the business. There is a different price if you by a Glock for duty then if a citizen buys one. That is something Glock decided to do. |
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I should have been more clear. I will not accept nor partake in discounted items or services because I don't believe it to be ethical, regardless of how harmless some would percieve it to be. I'm just wondering if anyone else shares this sentiment or if they're a bit more relaxed (*cough* less uptight *cough*). Edit after medicmandan's post: I'm asking LEOs specifically because they actually possess discretinary judgement over people. EMTs receving a good-guy discount is harmless in my eyes, whereas a cop might risk losing the appearance of neutrality. |
+1 I will not accept the Glock discount to LEO's, I prefer to pay full price. You never know, I might stop Gaston Glock for speeding... 
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Our policy is similar to Warpig's. I give a generous tip when deals are made. For many years the only place beside take out available to eat after hours did a 50% meal thing. It would be a huge argument to try not to take it so I have always made it up on tips. Soliciting for deals is a bad idea. I purposely don't go everyday to places that give breaks. Joe |
| The local inconvenience stores will never charge us for coffee or cokes. I tend to get things like Gatorade instead. That way I'm not taking advantage of it very often. As for as discounts on gear and guns that I will use on duty, that is cool with me. I knew going in that a leo doesn't make as much money as other jobs. The discounts usually aren't much, but every little bit helps. |
| I just pay what's on the bill and tip well. I never ask for anything. I was in line at a Mexican food joint and my partner got 50% off but I was charged full price. I didn't say a word, at least not to the cashier. I did bitch to my partner the rest of the day though. |
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I accept the well meaning appreciation of all who give a discount to military and police even though I am uncomfortable with it. I, in my youth, argued with those who would show their appreciation through discounts and freebies to the point of offending the well wishers. I learned that if the business wishes to give or discount police or military that I should just accept their appreciaton with thanks. Brownells, Surefire, and Rock River Arms are a few who recognize officers and discount their purchases. I am sure that they do not do it out of a hope that they will be given favor by police,as they do it nation wide, but because they appreciate the service and recognize the officers need for quality products, at a discount because the products are most likely used in service to the communities of the officers who may not be well paid. I salute and thank all of the manufacturers who offer superior public safety products to police at discounts so that the lowly low paid officer may better serve his community without sacrificing the quality of life of his or her family. Thank you Rock River Arms, Thank you Brownells, Thank you Surefire. And Thanks to all the others who support your Police and Military. |
| As mentioned above, I will never ask for any discount. I pay what is marked on the ticket and tip generously. I will never gripe about a full price meal even if it was discounted in the past. Most store owners have told me they give discounts and free coffee (or fountain drinks) to LEO because they want frequent visits from police throughout the night. A store is a lot less likely to be robbed is a police unit is parked out front every 20 to 30 minutes. |
That was very heavy on the sarcasm, I don't think everybody got it. |
| A few years ago a local PD made a policy that no officer could accept ANY discount or free item. Several business owner went to city council and told them in very plain language that they, the business owners, would give discounts to anyone that liked and dared the PD to tell the officers not to go to their businesses. The PD changed it’s policy. |
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We had a local chinese food joint that would give night shift officers the lunch rate for all meals ... saving five or six bucks on dinner. Officers more-or-less paid the difference in the tip, until one of our gals stopped the owner of the business for speeding on Main Street, and wrote him. He said "but I give you guys a break..." I called him about 10 minutes later and cleared the NEW policy up with him. Too bad, he used to get a lot of business from us. I rather liked the house Fried Rice. I've never been comfy with discounts, and have to argue frequently with the guy behind the counter at the local stop-n-rob to get him to take my .50 for a coffee refill. |