Mo. cop kicked out of Olive Garden because of duty gun

[M-Tecs]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/mo-...ID=msnHomepage

A uniformed Kansas City, Mo., cop hoping to celebrate his birthday with lunch at Olive Garden on Sunday was kicked out because of his duty firearm.A hostess caught sight of Officer Michael Holsworth’s holstered handgun as he waited for his family and asked the decorated officer to leave the restaurant at once, he ranted in a Facebook post Sunday afternoon.
“I never in my wildest thoughts would of thought this would happen in the Kansas City area. I see it happening all over the United States to other officers, but never thought it would of happened to me,” he wrote after leaving the restaurant.
It’s legal to openly carry handguns in Missouri, but the Olive Garden hostess told Holsworth guns were prohibited in the restaurant.
The restaurant’s refusal to serve Holsworth brought on a flurry of outrage spearheaded by the city’s Fraternal Order of Police, which promised to organize protests outside the southeast Kansas City restaurant.
The order’s president, Brad Lemon, and Kansas City Police Chief Darrl Forte came to Holsworth’s defense in public messages aimed at the chain’s national Twitter account.
“Facts are being gathered,” Forte wrote.
It’s not clear why the restaurant franchise took a stance against Holsworth’s gun. Olive Garden insists it was a misunderstanding.
“Law enforcement are always welcome to dine (with) us — we heart serving them and have great relationships,” an Olive Garden spokesman said.
The chain’s president, Dave George, has since called Holsworth to apologize, said Lemon, the order's liaison to Kansas police.
Lemon took a pointed stand against Holsworth’s treatment, demanding respect for all law enforcement officers.
“It's been an incredibly difficult day for our brother, and our entire family. All we ever ask is to be treated fairly and with the same respect to due anyone else. When we are treated poorly because of our chosen occupation, it hurts,” Lemon wrote in another statement to Facebook.
“It's not okay to treat law enforcement poorly. We deserve, and have earned, the same level of respect due to each and every member of society.”
Holsworth declined to speak of Sunday’s ordeal further after his public Facebook post went viral with more than 5,600 shares.
Holsworth earned his department’s Distinguished Service Medal in 2014 for being one of three police officers who shot and killed a burglar linked to a triple homicide, according to city records.

[salpal48]

with the current state of mind in this country. i can Understand This situation. I am a firm believer that it make People Uncomfortable. . Open carry Or Not. There is a place and time for everything. It not a Matter Of respect Or dis- respect. It is strictly a matter of Business.

[M-Tecs]

with the current state of mind in this country. i can Understand This situation. I am a firm believer that it make People Uncomfortable. . Open carry Or Not. There is a place and time for everything. It not a Matter Of respect Or dis- respect. It is strictly a matter of Business.

This was a Cop in his duty UNIFORM. It is a statement by anti-gun anti-LE employees. They need to be fired.

[starmac]

A MATTER OF BUSINESS. lol How about no cops show up when they are in diea need of one, would that be a matter of business, I mean why respond to a robbery of a business that doesn't want you.

I was in a country bar in Louisiana years ago when some bikers came and a huge fight broke out. The place was pretty trashed and the sherrif had been called. The bikers had left before the sherrifs dept showed up, but they had corralled them a few miles down the road. The bar owner wouldn't file charges, because he knew he would be burned out or worse, but the sherrif told him in no uncertain terms that if he didn't, that they would never respond to any emergency they had ever again.

[salpal48]

Don't get me wrong. This was not an off the cuff statement. my family Owned Bars and Restaurant In New York City for decades. It was unheard of The a Uniform Cop to come in , Sat down, eating and Or drinking. . The uniform denote He is on Duty. There were a lot Of Cops in My father Place , #34 Precinct . Maybe it happens where you Live But Not In the city . It show no respect for the badge and None for his co worker not that he can't. It lack of Common sense
He should have went Home and Changed

[sparky45]

with the current state of mind in this country. i can Understand This situation. I am a firm believer that it make People Uncomfortable. . Open carry Or Not. There is a place and time for everything. It not a Matter Of respect Or dis- respect. It is strictly a matter of Business.

Way off base with that one salpal. You almost sound like an apologist for Bloomberg or Cuomo. This officer was in UNIFORM and M-Tecs is spot on, in that the anti-LE employees NEED TO BE FIRED. Enough is enough!!

[starmac]

Now uniformed cops need to change out of uniform to have lunch or coffee. I guess I just don't get your line of thinking.

[Littleton Shot Maker]

What- he was treated just like any civie...they don't like that?? They want special treatment??

So the folks working there are armed and ready to repel bad guys if they come in?? They have my back?? NO, Just another place that would not get my money- move on - find a better Italian place that welcomes Law abiding folks armed or not Cop or not!!! No one is special - No one need extra rights - we are equal right?? By gender, race, religion UNLESS YOU OWN OR CARRY A GUN?? Pax taxes , work or want other to take up arms to protect them selves.

COPS can't, wont be there to STOP most crimes just draw the chalk line and begin to start to look for the bad guys, if they have the resources or they are not in the NO GO ZONE run by radical libs and Islamist. Look at Chikago- tons of guns laws TONS more murders - rape and burglaries...But POTUS won't talk about that- he will talk about taking guns from folks that have not broken any laws as if that will make the world safer- Ask the Jews circa 36 Germany how that played out- Or Pol POT- Ho Chi Min- Castro- El Che- Stalin... they all got the guns to control the people and them KILL THEM>>>>

I was Bothered by other patron at (burger chain) , when said patron complained that I would not remove my Pistol (open carry Az) and it made them feel weird , the manager asked them where they where from?? answer: "NJ"!! He asked them A. "there's no crime in NJ??" yes, B. We have less crime here (Az) cause we have the right not to wait for a cop to show up well after the fact and can defend our selves. He then promptly told them maybe they'd feel better back at home IN NJ??? He thanked me, in front of them and they left....I go there allot now and never been an issue there with any one working there and 90% of the time the retirees give me a thumbs up and point out the 1911 I carry. Some will say I had one of those back in 44, 56 , 63, 70 ... or when ever they served...and stood up against those that would love to destroy our way of life, NOW we are doing it to ourselves - we got warned in 56?? at the UN council when Russian leader slammed table with shoe and told us they will take over the schools the colleges the govt, from within and have no need to invade us. Looks like he was telling the truth. ONE right at a time the Dike will crumble and no matter how many fingers you have you'll never plug all the holes up and it will fail...tree of freedom.... blood ...hang together or hang separate the KING will surely hang you none the less.

[Mumblypeg]

A police officer in uniform should be welcomed anywhere the public is. Period. We are there for everyone and it should matter not even if one is out of his/her jurisdiction. We are the same on the inside no matter where we go. I for one don't like Olive Garden and I think there food sucks but each to there own. That person should be fired, just my opinion of course. Should the police be able to pick and choose who we want to answer calls from? This cancer is spreading and the media and idiots are spreading it. They hate us.... until they need us....

[Col4570]

Due to his Job a Police Officer could be Targeted by undesirables,therefore is makes sense that he is armed at all times.It would be preferable for him to be in uniform rather than civis where he might be mistaken for an armed civilian. In this unpredictable World an armed Guardian of the Law gives out a message to the bad guys and may save lives due to his presence.

[hicard]

I, for one, will never step foot into an Olive Garden restaurant again. I can't believe that happened to an officer in uniform.

[Littleton Shot Maker]

safest place to eat?? the joint fill with uniformed cops!!! WHO in their right mind would do bad there?? OH... crazy people. OK shoot them don;t arrest them don;t waste my money learning about their mom and dad and their feelings and give them a place to live rent free for ever....shoot em like the dogs they are.

Col. shooter comes to mind- shoot that turd be done, truly crazy or not I don;t give rip- He killed people for NO good reason. Caught 'red' handed- drop him- OOPPS trigger finger slipped ..he reached for.... NO, let put cameras on cops and teach them to speak PC speak....and give the thugs more room to do bad. Joe citizen gets it from both sides.

and I learned to cook Italian food at home cuase that place DOES suck!! If you have a Cheese Cake Factory near you?? they do a great True Carbonara to die for...sorry got hungry...

NOW the bar across for the police station used to get robbed all the time- why??? Cops are not at the station much except shift change, so they'd ( thugs) would wait till then go rob the place...many times over and worst OWNER of bar could not legally have gun to protect him self 'in the bar' this was smaller town in N.C. about 75-81 time frame bad times there for sure.

[M-Tecs]

Don't get me wrong. This was not an off the cuff statement. my family Owned Bars and Restaurant In New York City for decades. It was unheard of The a Uniform Cop to come in , Sat down, eating and Or drinking. . The uniform denote He is on Duty. There were a lot Of Cops in My father Place , #34 Precinct . Maybe it happens where you Live But Not In the city . It show no respect for the badge and None for his co worker not that he can't. It lack of Common sense
He should have went Home and Changed

Each state regulates when and were on duty uniformed cops can take lunch breaks. In Minnesota and North Dakota uniformed LE are encouraged to take their lunch breaks in public areas. It is rare when I go out for lunch that I do not see uniformed LE having lunch.

If we lose the battle on uniformed LE not being able to carry their duty firearm we sure as h**l would not win on civilians carrying.

The battle is against the left wing loonies that believe all firearms are bad. The left and the PC crowd needs to be stopped!!!!!!!


As to

. It show no respect for the badge and None for his co worker not that he can't. It lack of Common sense
He should have went Home and Changed

If this is a typical New Yorker attitude that explains a lot as to why New York is the way it is.

Some more:

http://www.policemag.com/channel/wea...ild-wings.aspx

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/lo...266105531.html

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/03...ghters-school/

http://www.guns.com/2014/09/16/texas...d-a-gun-video/

http://www.copblock.org/252/cop-in-u...to-leave-cafe/

http://fox43.com/2015/10/06/cop-refu...-police-chief/

http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Pol...327885051.html

Not just LE

http://pamelageller.com/2014/09/us-a...tudents.html/#!

[aap2]

If I was there I would have offered to buy the officer and his family dinner at a much better restaurant, thank him for his service and ask the waitress if she had experienced recent severe head trauma which might explain her cognitive dysfunction.

[Preacher Jim]

I have just crossed olive garden off my list of restaurants that I am going to eat at. I did go twice monthly. Never again will I spend money in one,

[Larry Gibson]

Actually it's not the states that regulate such. Each agency/department will have it's own regulations. I've never heard (I was in LE for 18 years) of any agency's regulation that a uniformed officer or one in civilian attire could not eat in a public restaurant. Actually we were encouraged to for numerous reasons. Many times patrol officers also ate in restaurants in uniform when "off duty", either before going on duty or after duty. This was especially the case when on assignment away from you're usual patrol or during a lengthy incident of investigation. In some locations LEO's bring their lunch and have a break room to eat in and in others they can eat in their patrol vehicle. If they're on foot patrol guess what? Also in some smaller jurisdictions the officers can go home for lunch or dinner.

To those who obviously have a dislike for LEO's I say simply remember they are a part of your community. They are there to serve you. If you have a heart burn with they way they act, function or operate then take it up with your elected representatives in your jurisdiction to effect a change. But could it be it's your own attitude toward LEOs and probably the law in general that is probably what earned your disdain for them. If you proffer that same attitude to your representatives you probably won't make a good or effective impression.

Larry Gibson

[Walkingwolf]

Cops don't get kicked out of non GFZ business, I have never heard of it. So patronize business that supports the second amendment.

[Littleton Shot Maker]

Don't just not spend money there!! go in there one day with 12-25 people armed- legally where permitted , ask if they have an issue "yes" then all walk out as a group...tell them "look" this $300-$750, table top just walked out because of "this" and tell them they are turds then never go back.

Let your local gun store know too, put out an add in paper telling folks esting there in UNsafe and "this: is why"...etc...tell them how you feel and see if they are all like that or just that one dumb####.
Our O.G. is about 4 blocks from a gun store and the County Sheriff's sub station- the world will get out and they have had few bad quarters lately any way , make a show of it...create drama call the local news station if friendly to cops and share the story...

[Walkingwolf]

I have never went to Olive Garden to eat, and I do not use Cracker Barrel either. But unless it is just our local area they have lines coming out the doors. I doubt that losing a small group will get their attention.

IMO I give my business to restaurants that are gun friendly, not just for LE. I would rather encourage, and reward good business practice instead of wasting my time with GFZ business.

Usually local restaurants are welcome to armed customers. Post the friendly restaurants on state local forums. Nationally IHOP, Denny's, are gun friendly. Nationally Olive Garden, and Cracker barrel are not. They just opened a new Buffalo Wild Wings here, but because of their national policy we will not ever go there. So far I have seen no posting on the doors.

In Sanford, NC the only place that has an anti gun policy is Cracker Barrel, seems all the other restaurants are on board.

ETA I don't have a lot of sympathy for cops that give their money to anti gun restaurants. They know before they go they are anti gun, so it should be no surprise.

[nekshot]

"when good men do nothing evil prevails" I don't know who said that but to simply say this is just the way it is there fore do nothing IS exactly what the left hopes to achieve. They are nothing more than bullies and I will not use this restaurent and gladly say why for the rest of my life when the name Olive Garden comes up. This nation has too much good just to throw away with loser thinking!