Incident at Greenwood Starbucks Brings Police
GREENWOOD Ind– Coffee anyone? Not at this Starbucks location.
A routine Monday visit to a Greenwood Starbucks took a bizarre turn for a local man, culminating in the arrival of three police cars and five officers. The incident occurred at the Starbucks located at 189 East Worthsville Road In Greenwood.
Jackie Bledsoe from Indianapolis explained via a viral Facebook post that every Monday after dropping his son off at basketball practice, he stops at this specific Starbucks to work for about an hour, typically ordering a drink through the mobile app after settling in. He stated that this routine had been uneventful for the previous three weeks.
However, yesterday’s visit was different. Upon entering the store, Bledsoe noticed an employee watching him. Shortly after sitting down to work, the same employee approached his table to take an order – Bledsoe informed the employee he would order through the app shortly.
Five minutes later, a second employee approached, stating that WiFi use was contingent on making a purchase- a policy that was changed in recent months by corporate. Bledsoe reiterated his intention to order via the app but was met with continued pressure. When he inquired if there was a personal issue, referencing the initial employee’s behavior, the employee reportedly became flustered and called the police, citing trespassing.
Once Greenwood Police arrived Bledsoe stated that officers on the scene handled the situation professionally, listening to both sides.
Bledsoe, who is black, expressed concern about racial bias, referencing broader anxieties within the community regarding interactions south of Indianapolis’ 465 loop. While acknowledging positive relationships with individuals in the area, he also highlighted the potential dangers people of color face during police encounters.
Starbucks isn’t new to complaints such as these- back in 2018 they closed all locations for an afternoon to conduct racial bias education with employees geared towards preventing discrimination in stores.
Bledsoe intends to contact Starbucks corporate to understand the store’s policies regarding order taking and customer interactions. He is also open to speaking with the Greenwood Starbucks’ management or owner directly to address the situation.
