Police: Accepting gifts a 'fine line'
Ron Bjorklund actually wants to be pulled over by police.
The owner of ARBC Catering, a red and white van that serves burgers and other food items at area businesses, is offering a free burger and soda to law enforcement personnel today through Saturday as a way of showing his appreciation in light of the recent police shooting deaths in Dallas and Baton Rouge, La.
"My father worked for LAPD, so I know what cops go through," Bjorklund said. "I want to show appreciation to police by giving them what I do."
Bjorklund suggests law enforcement can flag him down for a burger or see him at one of his business stops.
However, Bjorklund may not find too many takers, per law enforcement policies on receiving gifts.
Most local policies don't allow personnel to receive free lunches. State law prohibits all agencies from accepting any gifts greater than $50 in value, but many individual department policies are more stringent, said Post Falls Police Chief Scot Haug.
With Bjorklund realizing his gesture of thanks may not draw many officers at his stops or while en route to them, he said an alternative would be for law enforcement to buy the burger then he would in turn donate the money to the benevolent fund of their choice.
And that would satisfy law enforcement administration just fine.
"It's really a fine line," Haug said. "We want people to feel confident to say thanks. But we don't want to create slippery slopes, especially if we pull that person over later or if it doesn't benefit the entire department."
Haug said he appreciates Bjorklund's offer to say thanks, but his officers won't be pulling the truck over — lights on or not — to receive a free burger.
"(Bjorklund) has a huge heart and we appreciate what he wants to do," Haug said. "But we're just trying to do the right thing."
Haug said on an almost-daily basis lately, unsolicited residents have been dropping off items like dessert, doughnuts, pizza or coffee at the police station to show appreciation. In those cases, where the offerings are available to the entire staff and don't involve single officers on certain shifts dropping by a business, that's OK.
"There's been overwhelming support in that regard," Haug said. "We don't encourage it, but we do accept it."
Kootenai County Sheriff's Office Lt. Stu Miller said his agency has also received expressions of thanks ranging from food items to hanging baskets.
He said accepting Bjorklund's offer of flagging him over or stopping by for a free burger when the truck is stopped would also be a violation of his agency's policy.
"We would prefer that he offers that burger to a person who truly needs it," Miller said. "A few years ago, I was in Bayview during Bayview Days and was given a whole pie by a very nice gentleman. Although I protested his gift fervently, he wouldn’t take no for an answer. So, I thanked him for his gift and about five minutes later gave it in his name to a group of folks that appeared not to have enough resources for their own family, so ultimately it worked out for all of us."
Should law enforcement want to purchase a burger from Bjorklund and have him donate the money to a charity of their choice, he'll be stopped at Qualfon at 1201 W. Ironwood Drive in Coeur d'Alene today and Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Raycap at 806 Clearwater Loop in Post Falls on Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Those interested in his full schedule or to find out where he's at in the mornings can call him at 640-1745.
Miller said policy on accepting gifts is subject to the discretion of the agencies' administration. They are also a part of the law enforcement code of ethics.
"Although we certainly do appreciate the public’s support, we are also mindful of the appearance that sometimes accompanies accepting gratuities," Miller said. "Our department generally accepts small gifts of food or coffee as a thank you for a job well done, but we don’t want it to become a slippery slope. The issue, in my opinion, is when it becomes expected, it’s no longer acceptable."