Parole officers asked to leave Friday's restaurant in Franklin, Tn.

[StumpyBeagle]

Channel 4 News

 

Three parole officers were asked to leave a T.G.I. Friday’s restaurant in Franklin Tuesday because they were armed. 

A manager told the parole officers they were not allowed to have guns in the restaurant.

The incident caused a social media backlash and got all the way to the Tennessee Fraternal Order of Police.

“The officers are out there to protect the public,” said Johnny Crumby, president of the Tennessee Fraternal Order of Police. “If somebody comes in while someone is on their lunch break, they are not off-duty. They are still an officer. They will respond to whatever occurs there.”

The Tennessee Department of Correction confirmed the officers were in uniform and carrying state-issued law enforcement IDs at the time.

The restaurant chain bans customers from carrying guns, but law enforcement officers are allowed to eat in the restaurants while armed.

Friday’s corporate office interviewed the manager who asked the officers to leave and came to the following conclusion:

 

The incident at our Franklin, Tennessee restaurant was caused by a manager’s misunderstanding of our company gun policy, and that manager has since been coached on the policy and now knows that police officers are always allowed to carry guns in our restaurants, whether they are in uniform or not. We have reached out to the officers to personally apologize for the unfortunate misunderstanding, and we’ve invited them back in to join us for a free lunch.

Channel 4 reached out for an interview with the officers, but the department of correction would not allow it.

TDOC officials pointed out the officers all quietly and respectfully left the restaurant when they were asked to leave.

Read more: http://www.wsmv.com/story/30209717/parole-officers-asked-to-leave-fridays-restaurant#ixzz3nvJ3HpBM

 

[DaveTN]

Parole Officers wear uniforms?
Corporate handled it; that is about all that can be done. Isn't it?

[TNWNGR]

Manager has been coached has he? And I'm with Dave on the parole officers wearing a uniform, I'm not saying it isn't possible, just I've never seen it. I'm wondering if its Institutional Probation Parole Officers who work for TDOC and the BOP? I never dealt with any of them, only local parole officers who did not wear a uniform.

[Grand Torino]

Manager was coached....

[jgradyc]

It seems like a simple "We're law enforcement" and showing an official ID would have resolved the issue on the spot. 

[TrickyNicky]

Parole Officers wear uniforms?
Corporate handled it; that is about all that can be done. Isn't it?

 

 

I'm wondering if this may be an error in the reporting (stranger things have happened) and they may have been correctional officers?

[Mark A]

So Friday's food sucks, their service is typically awful and they are very anti-gun.

How do you boycott a place you already refuse to visit?

I just don't get it. I was a restaurant manager for 3 different chains for a bit over 15 years. I did everything I could to get officers to eat there as often as possible. If their departments allowed it the food was always free. If they only allowed a discount then they always got as much as was allowed. And, if the department had a no discount policy (a few of the larger ones did) I would donate free food and/or gift cards to their fundraisers etc...

Restaurants have an unfortunate tendency to get robbed. I wanted as many armed friendly faces around as possible.

In the smaller towns in East Tn and East Tx that I spent a fair amount of time in it was very common for the officers to learn what time we closed out and come hang out in their cars while we made night deposits. The last company I worked for was primarily located in malls. During the Christmas season our staff would have to park a fair distance away. Several departments would offer to escort the employees to their cars as the wait staff in particular would often leave carrying a decent amount of cash.

Did they do that because of a free burger? Of course not. They did it because they were professionals. Getting a discounted meal or a free cup of coffee on a cold wet night just made it easier for them to do so...

Mark

[analog_kidd]

I know someone who is a probation officer, and I think they typically wear those dressy tactical cargo pants with a polo that has their office label and logo on it. And they carry a sidearm. Pretty hard to not understand that they are some kind of law enforcement just at a quick glance.

 

The part of the story that gets me is the social media outrage. In his job, he is not there to protect anyone. The pistol is for his protection due to the criminals he interacts with each day. He has no more firearm / safety training each year than I do. Why is everyone outraged that someone like him can't carry into the restaurant, but nobody outside of TGO could give a rat's ass about any one of us?

[Spots]

I know someone who is a probation officer, and I think they typically wear those dressy tactical cargo pants with a polo that has their office label and logo on it. And they carry a sidearm. Pretty hard to not understand that they are some kind of law enforcement just at a quick glance.

The part of the story that gets me is the social media outrage. In his job, he is not there to protect anyone. The pistol is for his protection due to the criminals he interacts with each day. He has no more firearm / safety training each year than I do. Why is everyone outraged that someone like him can't carry into the restaurant, but nobody outside of TGO could give a rat's ass about any one of us?

This is where I'm at. I don't think the resturant should ask them to leave, but what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Plenty of beat cops only do the bare minimum to qualify with a handgun, and I'm guessing for Parole and corrections officers it's not stressed anywhere near as much. So why does a person carrying a badge have a right to carry a firearm there, but I can't. I've done my time on the two way range and have plenty of time and training behind both a pistol and a long gun. I guess it's a pointless argument anyways, I'm not spending money anywhere that refuses my right to carry a firearm.

Sent from behind the anvil

[E4 No More]

My wife works near a parole office in Davidson County, and I've seen their "uniforms" which consists of a polo with a logo embroidered. :shrug:

[runco]

I quit patronizing TGI Fridays several years ago, after a stunt of sudden closure in Maryville.  No notice to its employees and wham shut the doors for good.

[BigK]

I hope the parole officers were done eating anyway and were asked to leave before paying.

 

Regardless, I wouldn't even take them up on the free lunch after they kicked me out.

[K191145]

Well any restaurant that has a no gun policy doesn't have to ask me to leave since I wont be in their building anyway. As far as TGI Friday's, I don't buy their over priced frozen crap from the grocery store either, their quality never impressed me at that price and a box of wings is a serving for a 100lb woman, what a rip off.

[tennesseetiger]

Manager was coached....

"Do you understand how stupid you are...? Do you understand what kind of hell you just brought upon yourself...? Do you understand that cops can carry guns f*ck tard???"

I imagine it went something like that...

[TNWNGR]

"Do you understand how stupid you are...? Do you understand what kind of hell you just brought upon yourself...? Do you understand that cops can carry guns f*ck tard???"

I imagine it went something like that...

 

Well it might be nice to consider the manager receiving a good chewing out but the reality was more like a written counseling statement they had to sign. Then once signed said counseling statement went to cooperate HR for a little CYA and later means to terminate the managers employment for their next fumble.

[tennesseetiger]

Well it might be nice to consider the manager receiving a good chewing out but the reality was more like a written counseling statement they had to sign. Then once signed said counseling statement went to cooperate HR for a little CYA and later means to terminate the managers employment for their next fumble.

I used to be an HR manager so you are correct that he was written up, everything was documented, one copy went in his file, one copy probably went to corporate HR, and then he probably had a side conversation that kind of said what I said  :rofl:

[Monkeyman2500]

I had the worst food poisoning of my life at tgi fridays. You couldn't pay me to eat there. Those officers were risking their lives just eating there. :)

[bersaguy]

The more these Gun Free Zones screw up the more people will begin to quit trading with them. You can bet those P.O.'s will never go there again or take their family back to Friday's so that is just more revenue lost because of policy.........jmho

[Hershmeister]

What was the problem? Not enough flair?


http://youtu.be/_ChQK8j6so8

[Dustbuster]

They were really asked to leave cause they had orange doc shirts on. They first told the mgr they were UT fans after other guests complained about being surrounded by inmates. When the cops showed up to check them out to see if they escaped from I 65 trash detail, they learned they was undercover gubmint probation ossifers.... Crazy huh???

[Mike.357]

I kind of like some of the TGIF frozen stuff.  The warden finds them dirt cheap at a warehouse store.

they have two kinds of wings.  One kind is really good. the other not so much.

 

Can't recall ever darkening their restaurants doors.

[vontar]

 

TDOC officials pointed out the officers all quietly and respectfully left the restaurant when they were asked to leave.

Likely to never return.

[K191145]

I kind of like some of the TGIF frozen stuff.  The warden finds them dirt cheap at a warehouse store.

they have two kinds of wings.  One kind is really good. the other not so much.

 

Can't recall ever darkening their restaurants doors.

 

I can make better when i want to.  :)

[rmiddle]

This is where I'm at. I don't think the resturant should ask them to leave, but what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Plenty of beat cops only do the bare minimum to qualify with a handgun, and I'm guessing for Parole and corrections officers it's not stressed anywhere near as much. So why does a person carrying a badge have a right to carry a firearm there, but I can't. I've done my time on the two way range and have plenty of time and training behind both a pistol and a long gun. I guess it's a pointless argument anyways, I'm not spending money anywhere that refuses my right to carry a firearm.

Sent from behind the anvil

 

My uncle worked for the Correction department at a prison in PA he was forced to retire because he could no long meet the firearm qualifications requirement for his job.  Now I have no idea how tough a requirement it was but he did have to qualify every year.

 

Thanks

Robert

[rmiddle]

I used to be an HR manager so you are correct that he was written up, everything was documented, one copy went in his file, one copy probably went to corporate HR, and then he probably had a side conversation that kind of said what I said  :rofl:

 

Off topic a little but when I worked at Comcast I had to sign a letter that I was getting a Vorable Warning.  If I am signing something how can it be a Vorable Warning?  Corporate HR can be fun at times.

 

Thanks

Robert