The police "discount" corundum

[NNN0LHI]

http://daily-journal.com/archives/dj/display.php?id=447035

Donald Kufner — Ethics hinder free meals for cops

Oct. 24, 2009, 10:30 am

<snip>Consider the story of Officer Friendly from Any Town, USA. He is working the afternoon shift and his meal time is quickly approaching. Where should he dine tonight? Will it be a half-price burger? A couple of free tacos? Or a full-price meal at the family restaurant?

No, he has a craving for chicken and he knows just the place to satisfy that urge. Not only is the chicken good, but the price is right. As he enters the restaurant he sees the manager, Mr. Sanders behind the counter helping the order takers. He makes certain he gets in Mr. Sanders' line because there will be no mistake when the order is taken and the total tallied. Mr. Sanders takes the officers request and then winks and tells the officer there is no charge. Officer Friendly finishes his meal and goes back on patrol.

Several days later, Officer Friendly is now working the midnight shift and he notices a vehicle weaving from lane to lane, traveling under the speed limit, and stopping several feet back from the stop sign. A sure sign of an impaired driver. Officer Friendly activates the emergency equipment and the vehicle slowly pulls over to the curb and the driver stumbles out of the door.

When the officer approaches, he recognizes the driver, Mr. Sanders. A day of reckoning has begun. Mr. Sanders admits to his consumption of excessive alcohol and the officer knows from experience that he is definitely well over the legal limit. Mr. Sanders belligerently advises the officer that he has given away thousands of dollars of free food to the officer and his fellow companions and now the officer should return the favor. Officer Friendly is facing something that many officers will eventually encounter -- a lose-lose ethical dilemma.

If he arrests Mr. Sanders, the era of free food will come to an end and Officer Friendly will be chastised by his fellow officers for screwing up a good thing. If he allows Mr. Sanders to drive away and he gets in an accident, the officer would be held liable. If he takes Mr. Sanders home or places him in a taxi, it will surely be discovered and he may face charges by his superiors.

Officer Friendly has found himself in a situation he could have avoided.