Do you accept Gratuities?

[Lrchops]

BE Honest!

[ckim34]

nope

[RollingCode3]

[tleeocinca]

Only from my wife!!! She get's away with so much, I have to get something.

[Jack L]

Our protocol was if they insisted we asked them to donate $ or the gift to a local needy organization.

[1-M-42]

There are some businesses that are so insistent we end up leaving the correct amount on the table, including a tip. One owner actually went to my former Chief's office and told him, "it's my place, I'll give free coffee to whoever I want"....nice guy too. I've worked in several jurisdictions, none of which allowed acceptance of free or 1/2 price stuff. It's not worth it to me and never has been. I can afford my lunch, no need to take a free deal.

[Patrick Aherne]

I always leave the full amount with tip. If they want to keep it as a larger tip, good for the server.

[2patchHero]

Free coffee.

[IrishJoe3]

I always leave the full amount with tip. If they want to keep it as a larger tip, good for the server.

yup. I've seen some VERY happy waiters!!

[Jonathan Doe]

Never took cash from anyone. A can of soda once in a while? Yes. A bottle of wine for Christmas? Yes, once. That was about 20 years ago.

[ak_in_ca]

It was put to me this way, if its a store policy then just accept it without making a scene and if possible make it up on the other end, but never ask for or go looking for a discount or gratuity.

All cops are lying if they say they dont take gratuities. How many of you have taken the LEO Department discount at the uniform store? Or LEO price from Sig or Glock?

[oddjob]

Yes (I retired in Dec 2009)..........I figured even if I got a week off without pay I'm still money ahead!! I had free coffee, 1/2 price meals, $1.00 meals, free brass, free ammo, great deals on guns, free emergency room visit (got whacked by a racquetball racket and the E.R. doctor knew me), offered free movie passes, great car deals, and some other things I probably have forgotten by now. That was over the course of 32 years. The old days. Today is different .....Lot less of that stuff going on.......although my friends in the car business still cut me a great deal.....and I get the occasional brass resupply.

[canman]

Why so many Lodi guys????

Yes and No. I really try not to and honestly try to avoid businesses that always want to give cops stuff for free. It's hard when you're trying to pay and they're telling you not to, and all these people (who are going to have to pay) are standing in line and watching. Don't want to make a scene so just quietly accept it and walk out, or leave too much money on the counter and walk out.

I've pulled some of these business owners aside and asked them to allow me to pay. I intentionally buy bottled or canned soda instead of fountain soda to avoid them trying to give me stuff. If a place does give a discount, like because it's a company policy, then I try to make it up in a tip. I left my money, I'll let them figure out who gets it.

Other day I was getting some ice cream, off duty, with my family. A guy recognized me and remembered I did him (to him anyways) a favor a few months ago by spending a couple hours looking for his hurt dog while he was out of town. No big deal really, but he was real appreciative. Anyways, he bought my family's ice cream before I even got around to ordering. He didn't expect anything in return. What do you do, make a big scene? No. Be humble, thank him and accept it.

I don't expect gratuities, I don't want them, but I don't want to make a big scene over them either. Sometimes someone just wants to do something nice for you because you're a cop, and doesn't expect anything in return. Who knows their motivation......is that a gratuity?

Honestly....no simple, single answer to this one.

Canman

[ap3572001]

I do not....

That was my rule ( and Departments rule) since hired.

I remember once, went to a coffee shop with my partner.

Waiter sad they will charge half price because that is their policy.

I told Him that its ok. Manager ( or owner ) started telling me that He always charges cops half and that is His right.

I just left a 20.00 bill on the table to cover the full price of the meal and the tip.

[oddjob]

My first FTO told me..."If we don't eat half price.....we don't eat!" No joke!!