Police Chief Lifts Ban on Officers Eating at Denny's After Detective Was Told to Leave Her Gun in the Car

With gun sensitivity at a fever-pitch, yesterday's story about detectives in Belleville, Ill., who argued with a manager after being told that they couldn't have firearms inside of a Denny's restaurant, resonated. But now, just one day after TheBlaze reported that Belleville Police Capt. Don Sax banned officers from entering the establishment as a result of the incident, he has overturned his proclamation.

Photo Credit: AP

Fox News' Todd Starnes reports that the mandate that officers not eat at the location is no longer in place. Originally, Sax issued a pointed statement that chastised Denny's and dismissed the negative treatment his detectives received.

"The Belleville Police Department is very disheartened by the lack of respect shown to on-duty sworn police officers," he initially said. "Until further notice all on duty Belleville Police officers are banned from Denny’s Restaurant unless responding to an official call for service."

Well, it seems that "further notice" has arrived now that officers can, once again, enjoy the diner's delicacies. As previously reported, the initial drama unfolded on New Year’s Day when the detectives were eating at the establishment  The restaurant’s manager came over to tell a female in the group that she had to take her gun to the car -- or leave.

The employee's request was purportedly based on a complaint from another customer. While, at first, the detectives assumed that the mandate was a joke, they quickly learned otherwise. The manager explained the Denny’s only allows officers in uniform to carry guns, however the detectives had shown their badges, thus substantiating their identities.

Credit: AP

When they got up to leave, a general manager, who purportedly noticed the officers refusing to pay for their meals during the dispute, came over and told the cops that they could stay after all. However, feeling embarrassed by the spectacle, they decided to leave anyway.

Following the incident, a Denny’s spokesperson said that the manager making the initial request was wrong and that police in or out of uniform may carry weapons in the company’s restaurants. The spokesperson dismissed the incident as “miscommunication” and said that the manager was simply trying to do the right thing to address another customer’s complaints.

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Related:

• Police Chief Bans Officers From Denny’s After Manager Tells Detective to Leave Her Gun in the Car or Leave