A Note about Police Corruption

This post's title sounds more interesting that it really is, trust me. In the Police Academy, I learned that the smallest form of police corruption is the free coffee. The scenario goes like this: Officer walks into ABC coffee hut. Officer grabs a coffee and the newspaper. Clerk rings order and only charges officer for the newspaper. The coffee was free. Is this fair? Does everyone get a free coffee? The officer tries to pay for the coffee, but the clerk won't let him, saying "Cops get free coffee, company policy" loud enough for everyone in the store to hear it.

The next day, the officer returns to ABC coffee hut. Again, a free coffee. Again, the officer tries to pay but is told by the loudspeaker of a clerk that "COFFEE IS FREE FOR COPS". A few people in line mumble and grumble something about lazy cops and free coffee and donuts. The officer slumps out of the coffee shop, leaving a two dollar tip in the tip jar so that it doesn't seem like he's taking advantage.

The next day, the officer stops a car for speeding. Guess who's driving? Its the clerk from ABC coffee hut. The officer explains to the driver that he's receiving a citation for speeding, doing 75 in a 35. The clerk scoffs at him in disbelief. "What do you mean I'm getting a ticket?" he shouts. "I give you free coffee every day!" The officer kindly explains that the driver was doing 40 mph over the speed limit, and that it was extremely dangerous. The officer wonders to himself, "does this guy think a few free coffees add up to carte blanche to do whatever you want?"

To solve the problem in the future, the officer stops going to ABC coffee hut for his coffee and newspaper. Its a shame too, because he really liked the coffee there.

The next time you see a cop get a free coffee at the local coffee hut, remember that one way or the other, he'd paid for that coffee three times over.