Local police supply store offers Free Donuts!

[kirch]

Speaking as a marketing and advertising professional, I'd call it unique, effective promotion. I see the humor in it, and I doubt many cops would be offended (with apologies to the retired sergeant). Hell, I'd even take it a step further. Stop by the store and show your dept ID and get a free donut and cup of coffee. It'd cost the store about 20 cents per, but it's a loss-leader. Get those guys walking into the store and you'd easily pay for the pastry & java with the sales that result just from browsing.

In fact, if they showed their dept IDs, the clerk could write down the dept they're from so the store can learn which departments are visiting most, then hit those departments up later with targeted marketing efforts.

It's brilliant!

[VSUMarco]

I wonder if the reason cops stopped eating doughnuts is because of the stereotype or because it's truly not healthy for them. I was riding along (in plain clothes of course) with a few members from the department I volunteer for and they really badly wanted some doughnuts. They made ME go in and get some while they waited around the corner. That's how bad they didn't want to be seen buying doughnuts. It was quite funny.

[TheAsterisk]

Free Donut Offer

Greetings,
This is The Asterisk. I have not been on this website or posted any comments for a couple of years, so it is good to be back.
I have to say that I was a little disgusted about the story of the police supply store offering "free donuts" to police officers.
Law enforcement officers have been the butt of jokes because of such stories as "donut shop" visits by cops. These men and women have some of the most dangerous work any American citizens can possibly perform, and too many of these folks lose their lives every year.
If any food businesses wish to offer police officers free coffee, meals, snacks or whatever, this is fine; and I'm sure it is very appreciated. But please, knock off the "free donuts" deals, because even if it is meant as a "service", officers need to keep in the best shape, and they deserve to be respected, not ridiculed.
Perhaps I'm being too "sensitive" on this issue, but since September 11th, 2001, I don't see a whole lot of humor in anything where police, firefighters, or other emergency personnel are concerned.
Take care, ladies and gentlemen, and always watch both your partners' backs, as well as your own.
The Asterisk

[Duckey]

now thats out of line. Free Donuts and 9/11 shouldnt even be grouped in the same statement.

wow these are very intresting opponions. But we all know what opponions are like

[VSUMarco]

Hrm... interesting that black humor is ok among officers (i.e. calling a burnt bodie a crispie, chuckling after picking a woman's eyeballs and teeth out of the front grill of a semi, refering to a black female rape/beating victim as a Rosa Parks, joking about going Rodney King on some guy's ***) I'm sure you get the point. Yet any minor joke against cops is strictly forbiden. If you can dish 'em out, learn to take 'em too. And lighten up, maybe in that jurisdiction the members of that department still regularly eat donuts. Life's too short to be offended by small things like that.

[dax922]

Thanks for the code OP. It works. After i bought something they followed up in an Email. They also said to go to there newsletter
and subscribe. They have a killer offer on waterproof Rocky Boots. Best deal i have ever seen. Thanks again and lets not loose focus over what cops do for the public.... By the way I did receive a coupon for a dozen free donuts. (Cool) Those of you that are
offended by donuts.....drive thru.

CODE : A2700886PA1

Welcome Discount 5% off Order

[absea]

I've been a police officer for 25 years and I've heard all the doughnut comments. I'm never offended by them, but it does grate on your nerves a bit when you hear the same thing over and over. As far as the coupon....I think it is a clever move to draw attention. Probably done more tongue-in-cheek than anything. Most cops don't eat doughnuts that often anyway. We put on enough weight just riding around in a car every day.

[Duckey]

C'mon Please

Like I said not all people are going to like the free donuts thing, but in all fairness, they are not FORCING any one to use the coupon and they offer a lot of other coupons too! (when I come across them, I will post them on here to show you guys) but lets take 2 different angles on this topic #1 although it is for a free Doz of donuts, they actually send out $6.00 worth of dunkin donuts gift certificates. This allows the person who has them to decide for their self. Dunkin donuts has quite a few things on their menu other than donuts, their breakfast sandwiches kick serious ***, not to mention they have some of the best coffee on block! #2 this store is not forcing people to eat donuts; they are simply offering it to them. People will eat donuts weather they have to pay for them or not. I applaud this store's effort in marketing, and I myself found great humor in the gimmick.

I can tell some of the people who are posting on here also blame McDonalds for America

[kirch]

Re: Re: Local police supply store offers Free Donuts...

Originally posted by Angel
Ducky,
Im not a cop or any part of the LEO department but I find it very poor and not very supportive for our police officers. Why cant they offer free salads, oranages,etc instead of Donuts? Lets offer them HEALTH foods and not junk food.

Anyhow I hope this place requires ID stating that you are an officer before buying theses products because if not then you can say thanks to places like this for allowing criminals to dress up as an officer and commit crimes.

Somebody needs a big ol' dose of Lighten Up.

'Free salads et al' misses the whole point (and, I personally think, the genius) of the promotion.

[DanteSF]

I don't weather to be insulted or endeared...

[absea]

We are all taking this donut discussion too lightly. I recently lost a pastry that was dear to me and it pains me to see people speak poorly of our cream filled friends. Here is a photo to show you just how serious things can get.......

[btdown1]

Make mine Jelly....

[TheAsterisk]

Cops & Donuts-The Response

Let us all get ONE THING straight: I'm NOT a COP! Or, in the language of the STREETS: "I AIN'T NO COP!"
Cops have a hard enough job without all the "donut" jokes.
Anyhow, TAKE CARE, ladies and gentlemen; and watch your backs on the streets. It IS a jungle out there.
Asterisk

[L-1]

WAR STORY FOLLOWS

Its interesting how marketing can effect us (even cops). 33 years ago, Standard Oil (Chevron) won the contract to provide gasoline for all State of California vehicles, and each state car was issued a Chevron credit card.

Due to the volume purchased, the state got its gas at a fixed cost, irrespective of what the pump price was. If a dealer in a high cost area wound up taking a loss, Chevron made up for it using profits they earned from low cost areas. Back then, it was also common for gas stations to give out Blue Chip stamps.

During that period, there were only a couple of Chevron stations open 24 hours a day in the city where I worked. Wanting to secure all State business, one gas station started offering 50 times Blue Chip stamps along with free donuts, coffee and soup to its customers. It also raised its gas prices 80% above what everyone else was charging. State drivers didn't care because they knew the state always paid a lower fixed price, irrespective of what the pump said. As a result, the gas station looked like a police parking lot, particularly on graveyard shift. Once a patrol car was filled up, the attendant (yes, we had real gas station attendants in those days) grabbed the roll of Blue Chip stamps and began pulling them as he ran all the way across the station parking lot. Many officers made their wives very happy by bringing home thousands of stamps on a daily basis.

Eventually, the losses Chevron sustained caused them to complain to the state. In reality, this was an internal pricing matter between Chevron and its station. However, smelling a conflict of interest, (officers personally benefiting from free stamps, coffee, donuts and soup based on their official choice of gas stations) the Attorney General launched an investigation. While no one was prosecuted, I believe some serious discipline was administered within at least one large state law enforcement agency. In addition, the state opened a new office and passed a new rule. If, in the course of making a purchase on behalf of the state, you received Blue Chip Stamps, S&H Green stamps or any other premium, you were now required to forward those items to an obscure office in the state capitol. In that obscure office sat an equally obscure group of full time state employees, whose only job was to paste those damn stamps into books and mail them in, so the state could get their cash equivalent from the premium companies.