PA Officers Pay Tab Of Couple Who Refused To Sit Next To Them
HOMESTEAD, Pa. (CBS) – The tension between police officers and many communities across the country has been high in the wake of last week's violence, but one group of officers was able to turn an uncomfortable and awkward situation around with a simple act of kindness.
It was a typical Friday night at Eat'n Park in Homestead, Allegheny County, or so the four officers thought.
Sgt. John Kaschauer says, "I heard someone talk and I happened to glance over and saw it was a couple coming in to the restaurant."
The officers are regulars at the restaurant and are usually greeted with handshakes and gratitude.
But this night was different.
Jesse Meyers, a server, says, "The guy looks over at one of the police officers and says 'I don't want to sit here.'"
Officer Chuck Thomas says, "I said 'it's okay sir, you don't have to worry about it. We won't hurt you.' And he looked at me hard again and said he's not sitting there and he walked away."
The couple was seated across the restaurant for their meal, but the exchange didn't end there.
While these officers feel comfortable in their community, in light of what happened across the country recently, they saw an opportunity.
"I sat there for a while dwelling on it. I finished my meal and Officer Strang thought well, we should pay his tab."
And they did.
They sent the $28.50 check to the table with a message reading: 'Sir, your check was paid for by the police officers that you didn't want to sit next to. Thank you for your support… I left a $10 tip too.'
Louann Davis, a server, says, "They want to make it known that in our community they are here to be our friends and take care of us. They are not our enemies who are out to get you."
"The whole goal of it was to let him know we are not here to hurt you. We're not here for that. We're here for you. We work for the public. We just want to better the relationship between the community and police," says Officer Thomas.
Or as Sgt. Kaschauer put it, "Not all cops are bad. Not all people are bad."
Eyewitness News is told once the officers left they got a smile and a quick thank you from one of the people who refused to sit next to them.
