BlueLivesMatterBY COWGIRL
Jacksonville, FL – The Jacksonville Beach Police Chief has sent a warning to officers to use caution if they choose to go to Cruiser’s Grill, owned by Robert Handmaker.
The warning was sent by Chief Patrick Dooley on Monday, February 6, 2017.
In a police report, Jacksonville Beach Police Officers responded to Cruiser’s Grill at 23rd Ave. South in Jacksonville Beach for a false fire alarm. While they were there, the owner, Robert Handmaker, asked if he could speak to them in his office. They went to his office with him and he showed them a traffic citation. Handmaker told the Officers that he was stopped by an Officer for an Expired Registration.
Action News reports that Handmaker told the officers, “I explained who I was and he didn’t seem to care”. He said that he told the officer that gave him a ticket that he has been a “staple” in the Jacksonville Beach community for years, and that he had been offering discounts to public servants. One of the Officers told Handmaker that he couldn’t resolve his complaint, but would inform a supervisor, and Handmaker cursed at him.
He then told the Officers that “I have been made aware for quite some time now that some of my employees have been spitting in officers food and now I know why, because you are all bullies.”
The officers said that Handmaker cursed at them again, and said “have a great day, (expletive)” as they left the business.
In his letter, Chief Dooley said “While I will not issue an order prohibiting patronization of Cruisers, please use caution for health and safety reasons if you choose to eat at this establishment.” He said that he provided officers with the information so that each could make an informed decision. He also said “Should Cruiser’s, its owner, or its employees request police assistance, my expectation is, as always, that you provide the highest level of professional customer service.”
If this owner is actually allowing his employee to tamper with officers’ food, that’s assault, unfortunately, there’s no physical evidence, so charges are unlikely.
Blue Lives Matter would like to call on all decent people to avoid this restaurant, and the health department should be notified as well. Besides the inherent disrespect to police officers, who knows who else the owner is mad at, and if Handmaker allows his employees to spit in their food as well. If the owner allows his employees to spit in Officers’ food, knowingly, I’d hate to think what else he might allow them to put in their food. Or anyone else’s food that he has a problem with.