Belleville chief bans officers from Denny’s; detectives were asked to leave for displaying gun

Belleville News-Democrat ^ | Jan. 2, 2013 | Jamie Forsythe

[Lawgvr1955]

Police Chief William Clay has banned all on-duty police officers from eating at Denny's Restaurant on South Illinois Street after a detective was asked to remove her gun or leave the restaurant.

"All sworn (uniformed/non-uniformed) officers have been prohibited from entering Denny's Restaurant at 1130 South Illinois for any meal or coffee breaks while on duty," Clay said in a released statement. "Additionally, no officers may enter the restaurant off-duty if in uniform."

[PapaBear3625]

In the article, when you click on "Full Story":

Sax said the manager responded stating that company policy stated that only officers in uniform may have weapons. Rice went on to state there was a sign on the door indicating weapons were only allowed in the restaurant if officers were in uniform.

[later in the story:]

Sax said there was no sign posted on the door of the restaurant stating police officers must be in uniform if they have a weapon.

So that point seems to be in dispute. Regardless, the restaurant has the right to ask a customer to leave if they feel that customer is making other customers uncomfortable.

[Uncle Chip]

This Denny's is two blocks down the street from a Belleville police station. Are you telling me that police with and without weapons have not been coming and going in there for decades without incident -- and now this???

Are you telling me that the Belleville police don't have a set policy about how detectives out of uniform are to carry and display their weapons after all these years???

And are you telling me that said policy is in conflict with a restaurant that is only two blocks away and obviously frequented by police and detectives???

Something here makes no sense.

And btw a badge clipped on the belt where it cannot readily be seen or hung around the neck and usually tucked inside the shirt doesn't make you a uniformed officer. You are either on duty or you are not. You are either a uniformed officer or you are not. Make up your mind.

[Whats-wrong-with-the-truth]

“This was an insult, a slap in the face, to those detectives and to all of the men and women who proudly wear the uniform or badge and serve in law enforcement,”

Hello.... This is the type of "insulting" behavior you jackbooted thugs inflict upon all those you 'SERVE' when you come across one of us carrying a weapon.

Don't like the feeling do ya?

Besides.... Dennys? Who eats at Dennys anymore? It's a friggin crap shoot with them. Nine out of ten times you MIGHT get a decent meal. They did the cops a favor IMO.

[wastedyears]

You seem to have a fairly ignorant attitude towards police officers.

They've had the attitude of "us vs. them" for a long time now. I live in NYC, I don't trust police.

[ScottinVA]

The better action for the restaurant manager would’ve been to say to the oh-so-horrified customer, “I’ll be happy to move you to another part of the restaurant if you wish to the officer’s weapon won’t be in your line of sight, but in this Denny’s establishment, law enforcement personnel are welcome... on or off duty.”

[sport]

Anybody that eats at Dennys has a grudge against their stomache.

[ScottinVA]

if you wish to the officer’s weapon = if you wish so the officer’s weapon

[eyeamok]

Ignorant??not hardly. my views on the Police have been shaped by 50+ years. I have watched them turn from Public Servants to Jack Booted Thugs in the last 30 years. Just look at Long Beach, Ca when the entire Police Dept defended the two Thugs that executed Doug Zirby while in the privacy of a GATED COURTYARD on PRIVATE PROPERTY that was not VISIBLE to the Public, for holding a Garden Hose, or how about Fullerton where the ENTIRE Dept defends their 4 thugs for beating a Homeless Man to DEATH(Kelly Thomas) or how about when the entire NYPD came out to protest the Arrest of a Group of Detectives for a whole host of crimes. Every Police Officer in America would sell their own Mother to Satan to protect one of their own. THEY ARE ALL SCUM, and it sounds like you got Shoe Polish on your chin from licking their boots. I could go on with THOUSANDS OF EXAMPLES of POLICE CORRUPTION on a Massive scale in Every city in America. I took off those rose colored glasses 30 years ago, why didn’t you?? To be honest with you, I have not met or seen an HONEST POLICE OFFICER in a long, long time, and I personally think it should be a FELONY for ANY Public Servant to make deliberate false statements during the course of their official duties. Today it is celebrated when a COP lies in order to further their cause. 30 years ago if a COP shot an UNARMED individual, HE WENT TO JAIL FOR MANSLAUGHTER, Today he is called a hero?? bottom line is this, 95% of the Police Officers in this country make the 5% look Bad.

[luvie]

They just advertised to be robbed at gunpoint...idiots!

[SandRat]

Another Gun Free Zone and the next easy target like the resturant in Luback Texas was.

[Uncle Chip]

This Dennys is two blocks down the street from the police station. I’m sure that all the police officers and detectives and the brass knew full well what Dennys policy on open carry was — posted or not.

[Doctor 2Brains]

I agree completely.

[Flick Lives]

I actually think this is great and wish more people and restaurants would do this, especially in States where Citizens are prevented from owning or using firearms.

I agree. Since the State thinks citizens should be disarmed, then so should the State. Time to force our overlords to live by the same rules as the "little people".

[jboot]

Ah, that’s right! As I recall, the CA State Patrol sent in a gun for service that he could not legally send back to them under CA law. So he kept it and sent them a letter explaining why. They sued and lost. Good on Barrett.

[Mr. Lucky]

Fairly ignorant?

That's putting it fairly mildly.

[Fletcher J]

Yeah, I’m kind of torn on this one also. Very stupid on the part of the restaurant assistant manager, and I’m glad the police chief is sticking it to the local hoplophobe at Denny’s.

But on the other hand, Illinois law would have required that these officers arrest me if I were to be caught carrying my TN-legal concealed carry pistol in IL. So they already received better treatment than this law-abiding citizen would...

[Eye of Unk]

Illinois may be the first state to erect a virtual “Berlin Wall” in America. Millions will be leaving the state as well as businesses.

[zeugma]

I actually think this is great and wish more people and restaurants would do this, especially in States where Citizens are prevented from owning or using firearms. Do these “officers” enforce tyrannical laws in direct defiance of what the Constitution says?? YES THEY DO. Then tell the Jack Booted Gang Bangers to go somewhere else.

Absolutely agree.  Off duty cops should be treated no differently than any other citizen. Personally, I'm not really all that enthusiastic about on-duty cops getting special priviledges the rest of us don't have.

Maybe I will start eating at Denny’s again.

Yeah, well, I wouldn't go that far. They are anti-gun after all.

[FreedomPoster]

FYI, in case you didn’t hit the link. That’s not just one video. That’s a whole playlist of Denny’s incidents.

The video you saw is probably in there.

[ScottinVA]

Oh yes... saw a whole group of them. Almost every one of those incidents has a particular and very noticeable commonality.