BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY — If it’s not bad enough the restaurant chain prohibits any lawful carriage of firearms into any of their establishments, one Bowling Green franchise has recently refused to serve a uniformed police officer who entered the premises.
The officer in question entered the premises in the Greenwood Mall wearing a policeman’s polo shirt and was clearly marked as a sworn employee according to sources at WBKO and the Edmonson County Sheriff’s department.
The incident sparked quite a bit of outrage from both law enforcement and residents.
“I was upset,” Edmonson County Sheriff Shane Doyle told WBKO. “I was shocked for that officer and also for all the patrons there because you know if you have an obvious police officer and they’re wearing police clothing, then I don’t understand what the problem would be having someone like that with the training and experience of a police officer [coming] into an establishment.”
The question of whether or not the policeman was on or off duty apparently means very little.
“The state law allows us to carry concealed anywhere in the state of Kentucky except for federal buildings, that’s basically the only place,” Sheriff Doyle continued.
When asked for comment, WBKO received this from the Chuck E. Cheese’s headquarters PR representative:
“Our firearms policy does not apply to officers in uniform. We do have a firearms policy for civilians and off duty non-uniformed officers, but officers in uniform are always welcome to bring in their firearms,” said Chuck E. Cheese’s headquarters Public Relations Chair Alexis Lynn.
To this, Sheriff Doyle scoffed and retorted, “I’ve seen Bowling Green officers in polos many times in my history working in law enforcement, and obviously I recognize that person as a sworn employee.”
Does the prohibition of firearms by sworn officers – in excess of the state’s laws – make any sense? It appears Chuck E. Cheese’s is calling the event “an unfortunate misunderstanding.”
Look forward to a forthcoming article we’ll be publishing detailing this and other franchises that have ludicrously draconian firearms policies and if you frequent this establishment a.) we’re sorry (outside of the weapons policy) and b.) you better hold tight in the case of an emergency because apparently even uniformed police have a hard time getting in there. Don’t tell the criminals!