Last week, Breitbart News linked to a story about a Belleville, Ilinois area Denny’s restaurant asking a group of police officers to either put their guns back in their cars or leave the establishment. A customer had complained about not feeling comfortable with people with guns in the diner.
The Belleville Chief of Police had then told his officers not to go to the establishment unless they were responding to an emergency call.
Initially, Denny’s released a statement contrdicting the version told by multiple police officers stating that the establishment had been unaware of the armed men being police officers until after the request was made for them to either disarm or leave. The police said otherwise, namely that they had their badges clearly visible.
Denny’s has since rectified the situation and clarified that the chain appreciates law enforcement officers and that law armed law enforcement officers are indeed welcome to patronize their businesses.
The Belleville News-Democrat reports that the Belleville Police Chief William Clay has met with a Denny’s executive named Van Catchings and lifted the ban.
The News-Democrat quoted Belleville Police Captain Don Sax on the meeting with Denny’s Catchings. They state:
Sax said Catchings was sincerely apologetic for the actions taken by restaurant management. Catchings conveyed these actions were inconsistent with Denny’s corporate policy, which welcomes any law enforcement officer to carry their weapon while inside their restaurants, according to Sax.
The News-Democrat also reports Police Chief Clay as stating:
“Denny’s on South Illinois is a Belleville business. They pay sales tax and provide employment for many Belleville residents,” Clay said in a released statement. “I have patronized Denny’s in the past and will continue to do so in the future. I harbor no grudges. This was an unfortunate incident by an individual employee; it has been made right.”
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