When a uniformed police officer agreed to meet his family at Olive Garden to celebrate his birthday, he was astonished and disappointed to be asked to leave. However, when the reason for his eviction was exposed, the popular eatery was forced to repent its choice.
Many first responders are required to work on weekends, significant holidays, and even their own birthdays. Their family understands that that is all part of the price they must pay. Indeed, many law enforcement officials dine at restaurants while on duty and in uniform. Even if they are having their designated lunch break, they must keep their weapons on them at all times in case of an emergency.
That was the situation when Kansas City Police Officer Michael Holsworth decided to celebrate his birthday with his family at a nearby Olive Garden during his lunch break. According to Holsworth, he was waiting for his family at the front of the restaurant when a staff approached him and stated, sir, they don’t allow weapons in here.
The event was recounted by a Kansas City motorcycle cop. Bearing in mind that he was in full police gear and on duty, he stated. Initially, he thought it was a joke, so he asked her, ‘Are you serious?’ he remembered. She responded with a resounding ‘Yes.’ So he told her then he guess he must leave. She then said, ‘Yes, please leave.’
Officer Holsworth resorted to social media to recount his ordeal. He never believed in his wildest dreams that this would occur in the Kansas City region, Holsworth raged in a Facebook post that was shared more than 12,000 times. He saw it occurring to other police all around the country, but he never believed it would occur to him.
As the community rallied around the cop and his family, all hell broke out at Olive Garden. The announcement generated fury on Olive Garden’s Facebook and Twitter sites, and the corporation swiftly replied, claiming that Olive Garden enjoys serving police enforcement and the event was a mistake. As the criticism grew, Olive Garden’s president personally apologized to Officer Holsworth.
@MikeLaGree @kcevidenceguy @kcpolice This treatment was unacceptable. The president of Olive Garden has personally apologized to the officer
— Olive Garden (@olivegarden) October 12, 2015
Rich Jeffers, Olive Garden Spokesperson, said the company’s president, Dave George, phoned the officer to apologize for the incident. According to Jeffers, it was a hostess, not a member of management, who urged the police to leave. One reporter for Police Officer’s Magazine, on the other hand, had a different opinion. Olive Garden apologized for the incident and stated that it occurred since the officer was armed rather than because he was a cop, David Griffith wrote. And he would throw a 15-yard flag for BS on that explanation.He believed this was a political remark made by a restaurant employee.
The president of the Fraternal Order of Police, Brad Lemon, also spoke out. He posted on Facebook, it’s been a tremendously terrible day for their brother and the entire family. All they ever ask is to be treated properly and with the respect that everyone else deserves. It hurts when they are mistreated due to their profession. It is not acceptable to mistreat law enforcement. They are entitled to and have deserved the same degree of respect as any other member of society.
Officer Holsworth also provided some last thoughts on the matter. He remarked, his experience at Olive Garden was quite bad. He commented about the abuse he experienced on Facebook because he didn’t want other cops to be treated to the same humiliating circumstance that transpired.
Officer Michael Holsworth explained, he had planned to just have an uninterrupted birthday supper with his family. He never imagined he’d be asked to leave a public restaurant since he was dressed in full police gear and carrying his duty firearm, he continued. He wishes Olive Garden addresses this problem properly so that no other cop has the same encounter he had. he said. He requested that the media and others respect his privacy and focus their efforts on changing the broader narrative about police officers in a more favorable direction, so that this sort of event does not arise again.
Officer Holsworth never intended to make headlines on his birthday. When confronted with the total disrespect of a local establishment he is sworn to safeguard and serve, his sole concern was to guarantee others in law enforcement were not subjected to the same shame.
