Why do cops get free stuff?

[freekforge]

when my brother was doing the cop thing he went to subway and they gave him his meal for free he stopped going there for a while. when he went back a few weeks later they asked why he stopped eating there he said it was because he felt bad getting free food. They told him they would give him free food if he would eat there every night as a deterrent. they also used to give free food to CAP and JROTC cadets and adult members once again as a deterrent (the military uniform) Last i heard they ocassionally give free food and discounts to LEOs but not as much as they used to

 

[bobbittle]

You want to know which public service job gets no love or respect? The trashman! Just throw your crap out to the curb and God forbid He misses a piece of trash in the bottom of your trash can with 72 1/2 pounds of unbagged kitty litter stuck to the bottom... Just sayin!

I have the same trashmen every week (they must love their job), team of 2, they get $50 each the pickup before Christmas. I love my trash guys.

Buddy of mine is a correctional officer, calls me up the other day to tell me he went inside after work in his uniform to get some food at a fast food joint and they gave him like $5/off. Turns out they thought he was a cop. When I was younger and working at a pizza place, cops were supposed to get 15% off and free drinks.

Now, cops get paid good money. I thought before it was sort of a... 'kind gesture' to give them a discount in a family ran pizza place, but it seemed odd that it was done in chain fast-food joint. On top of that, they get free coffee at gas stations too, I am told. Is that just a thing around here or is that everywhere?

I appreciate what y'all do, but buy your own damned food. You make good enough money to afford it.

What other jobs earn you free stuff?

As others have said, most cops don't make a decent wage. My BIL has been a LEO for...10 years at least and my wife makes more than him in retail management.

 

[Frosty]

I have the same trashmen every week (they must love their job), team of 2, they get $50 each the pickup before Christmas. I love my trash guys.



As others have said, most cops don't make a decent wage. My BIL has been a LEO for...10 years at least and my wife makes more than him in retail management.

actually bob, being a trashman ain't so bad, I did it for awhile before I got promoted, but honestly, I didn't mind it. It's really hard work, but you get free excercise, and you get to break all kinds of stuff! There was nothing I enjoyed more than feeding a couch to the rearloader

I knew a town police officer in Greencastle a long time ago, he said a new officer just starting made around $20,000 a year... That's not great pay!

 

[SkullDaddy.45]

Put up or shut up!



Dammit! I thought you had me on ignore!View attachment 23754

 

[bobbittle]

You want to know which public service job gets no love or respect? The trashman! Just throw your crap out to the curb and God forbid He misses a piece of trash in the bottom of your trash can with 72 1/2 pounds of unbagged kitty litter stuck to the bottom... Just sayin!

actually bob, being a trashman ain't so bad, I did it for awhile before I got promoted, but honestly, I didn't mind it. It's really hard work, but you get free excercise, and you get to break all kinds of stuff! There was nothing I enjoyed more than feeding a couch to the rearloader

I knew a town police officer in Greencastle a long time ago, he said a new officer just starting made around $20,000 a year... That's not great pay!

My BIL in on Greencastle PD.

 

[Frosty]

My BIL in on Greencastle PD.

I don't know any of them any more, but if you want to drop his name it might get me out of a speeding ticket if I tell him you told me secrets about him

 

[Sarge470]

Lebowski, I was born and raised in Madison, so I know a little about life down there. The other posters are pretty much right on target about the rationale behind giving officers discounted or free food and drinks, but I personally feel uncomfortable accepting them and don't go to those places very often. Since I have a little seniority and rank nowadays, I figure I make enough to pay my own way on the job and prefer to do so. As far as police salaries in Madison go, they're not that great; your department and individual officers get dumped on from a lot of people in town whose only exposure to police work is what they see on TV (which is ALL, crap, BTW). Their pensions under the 1977 fund are strictly tied to a patrolman's salary, so no matter how high they go in the food chain, or how much they earned in their last few years, they essentially retire as a patrolman. I went to the Academy with one of your guys, and got to know several others over the years...they're actually pretty good guys for the most part. ( Hell, I played little league baseball with Armstrong & Wallace as a kid, so I've known them both for over 40 years.) I can guarantee you that if I took a stack of applications for my department and spent a couple of days hanging out at Bello's, I'd probably take about ten of them off your hands and reduce your overall strength by over one-third because we pay better, and the availability of part-time gigs at $30/hr or more is mind-boggling. Overall, you have a pretty decent bunch down there, especially since they cover the hilltop and downtown with about three people per shift. Might be interesting to just talk to one of them someday & find out what they're thinking over a pop or cup of coffee. I'm not sure, but they might even do ride-alongs there, and that can be a real eye-opener.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

As others have said, it was always my understanding that places gave LEO's discounts to encourage their presence for the obvious deterrent effects. Some businesses give discounts to other groups of people to encourage them to come back and spend money on a regular basis. We used to go out for lunch about everyday and there were certain restaurants that would give us a discount just because we worked for a certain company. Obviously, those that gave us discounts tended to get our business on a more regular basis.

But there were people that were jealous or something over the fact we were offered those discounts just as some are jealous over LEO's getting freebies/discounts. One day my buddies and I stepped up to order our lunch and asked for the company employee discount...there was some guy behind us that took a rather jerkish exception to us being offered the perk.

 

[Denny347]

Huh? Don't cops OC, therefore making themselves a desirable priority target that will draw criminals into the store?

The uniform is MUCH more obvious than the pistol.

 

[Denny347]

As a citizen, what can I do to ensure you patrol my neighborhood more? Should I have a cookout once a week and invite LEO over?

I don't own a business to give you free stuff, but I want to make sure my area is safe too.

You think our day is governed by "free stuff"? If I am able to take a lunch, I get about 15 minutes to eat...out of an 8.5 hr day. If we have time, we can stop at a BP or Speedway. They both give free drink (I think) but we rarely do that. We like to sit down at the tables in BP...to get out of our cars.

 

[Denny347]

What would happen if the owners of the proposed new indoor range in Carmel gave free gifts to all those who vote on their permit approval?

You are smart enough to know that is not the same thing.

 

[Frosty]

You think our day is governed by "free stuff"? If I am able to take a lunch, I get about 15 minutes to eat...out of an 8.5 hr day. If we have time, we can stop at a BP or Speedway. They both give free drink (I think) but we rarely do that. We like to sit down at the tables in BP...to get out of our cars.

the BP at 38th and high school?

 

[Denny347]

the BP at 38th and high school?

No, Washington St/Emerson Av...where we see Ms. Gungho from time to time.

 

[Frosty]

No, Washington St/Emerson Av...where we see Ms. Gungho from time to time.

Oh, the nice part of town... I don't stop by those much, I don't like leaving my truck in the lot running over there.. Do me a favor, if you see a big orange flatbed Kenworth taking up both lanes on Washington, don't pull me over if you see another truck like that with a short, grumpy old guy, definitely pull him over!

 

[Trigger Time]

First in.

FYI, cops don't make **** for what they do. I made almost double the average entry level officer's salary as a restaurant manager.

Edit: Oh yeah, and I also gave them discounts and free drinks (non-alcoholic), because I recognized that they are horribly underpaid for what they do.

I used to think that too but then I found out that after a couple years an Impd officer makes like $50k. I think that's more than fair. They chose the job.
i know not all departments pay that well, but like any job, you agree to the wage when you take it. I don't mean this as a jab.

regarding the freebies: I could care less. Businesses have the right to give freebies to whoever they want. It shouldn't be expected or demanded though. & always say thank you

 

[MrsGungho]

No, Washington St/Emerson Av...where we see Ms. Gungho from time to time.

you rang?

M-F 9a-1p. I was there so much they talked me into coming out of semi-retirement.

yes we give LEO free fountain drinks or coffee. We also give the same to EMS & fire. I can tell you I've had customers who look like they have had a bad day and I do the same for them, within reason.

 

[chezuki]

I used to think that too but then I found out that after a couple years an Impd officer makes like $50k. I think that's more than fair. They chose the job.

regarding the freebies: I could care less. Businesses have the right to give freebies to whoever they want. It shouldn't be expected or demanded though. & always say thank you

Hmm...

Benefits

Yeah, that's a lot better than what the locals here start at. It still wouldn't have changed my support.

 

[Trigger Time]

Hmm...

Benefits

Yeah, that's a lot better than what the locals here start at.

I added some to my post after you quoted me. Yeah not all departments pay as good. I believe in a fair wage for a persons work. Like other jobs, some employers dick over their employees. It's not right no matter what your job title.

no I think its a nice gesture for a free drink or a discount. But done so as a thank you and not a pay pitty party

 

[stephen87]

I have personally seen officers who are in the middle of their meal have to get up and leave on a call with out finishing the their meal. I would hope that the establishment would let them come back and reorder for free they are able to do so.

Also I see it as no different than all the discounts I get for working for the company that I do. I get discounts from many different businesses for a variety of things.

Been there, done that. Hate doing it, but we always get ours to go for this exact reason.

You think our day is governed by "free stuff"? If I am able to take a lunch, I get about 15 minutes to eat...out of an 8.5 hr day. If we have time, we can stop at a BP or Speedway. They both give free drink (I think) but we rarely do that. We like to sit down at the tables in BP...to get out of our cars.

you rang?

M-F 9a-1p. I was there so much they talked me into coming out of semi-retirement.

yes we give LEO free fountain drinks or coffee. We also give the same to EMS & fire. I can tell you I've had customers who look like they have had a bad day and I do the same for them, within reason.

Sounds like I found my new BP.

 

[hornadylnl]

You are smart enough to know that is not the same thing.

They're both gifts for government favors, are they not?