Starbucks barista spit in cops’ drinks, then bragged about it, New Jersey police say
A Starbucks barista was arrested after he was accused of spitting into the cups of multiple New Jersey police officers.
A spokesperson for Starbucks confirmed the incident to McClatchy News and said Kevin Trejo has been fired.
The president of the New Jersey Policeman Benevolent Association condemned the actions of Trejo, 21.
“Every time I think we as a society hit bottom, there is a new incident,” Patrick Colligan with the NJPBA said. “Officers risk their lives daily, it shouldn’t be while getting coffee.”
Trejo was “arrogant enough to be bragging” about spitting in the officers’ cups when police questioned him, Park Ridge Police Chief Joseph Madden told NJ.com on Tuesday.
It’s unclear how many officers had their drinks contaminated.
Trejo was charged Monday with subjecting a law enforcement officer to contact with bodily fluid, knowingly tampering with a cup of coffee that was ordered by an officer, and creating a hazardous or physically dangerous condition, Park Ridge police said in a statement.
“Under the current COVID threat, it is extremely disturbing to think that someone would intentionally spit in your drink,” Capt. Joseph Rampolla told NorthJersey.com.
Starbucks apologized to the Park Ridge Police Department, a company spokesperson said, and the police department confirmed it appears to be an isolated incident.
“This individual’s behavior was reprehensible and not at all a reflection of how our employees treat our customers on a daily basis,” the spokesperson said. “We want everyone who comes into our stores to receive a positive experience and when that doesn’t occur, we move quickly to address it and hold ourselves accountable.”
The police chief told The Daily Voice it being an isolated incident “does not remove the shock and disgust that our officers feel.”
This story was originally published July 21, 2020 at 2:46 PM with the headline "Starbucks barista spit in cops’ drinks, then bragged about it, New Jersey police say."