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Arby’s CEO meets with Fla. police union officials after controversy

The company confirmed that it fired the manager and put clerk who denied an officer service on temporary paid leave

By Linda Trischitta
Sun Sentinel

PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. — The CEO of Arby’s flew to Broward County to meet with police officials Friday after a controversy over an alleged denial to serve a sergeant at one of the fast-food chain’s restaurants.

The company confirmed that it fired manager Angel Mirabal, 22, and put clerk Kenneth Davenport, 19, on “temporary paid leave.” A spokesman for the Atlanta-based Arby’s Restaurant Group declined to say how long Davenport’s leave would last.

A statement released Friday from the company on behalf of Paul Brown, chief executive officer of Arby’s Restaurant Group, said he was in South Florida to give free meals to any officers who accepted the company’s conciliatory offer.

Brown also met with police union officials John Rivera, president of the Florida and Dade County Police Benevolent Associations, and Jeff Marano, Rivera’s Broward counterpart. Although both acknowledged the company’s efforts to make amends, Marano told reporters he wanted Brown to “apologize to every police officer in the United States.”

Mirabal and Davenport were working a night shift Tuesday at the Pembroke Pines restaurant, 11755 Pines Blvd., when Sgt. Jennifer Martin, 34, said Mirabal told her: “He doesn’t want to serve you because you are a police officer.”

Mirabal had to order Davenport to process Martin’s credit card and she became uncomfortable about dining there, according to her offense report. Martin went inside the restaurant and got a refund, when she said Mirabal laughed and told her he was allowed to refuse to serve her.

Davenport later said the comment from Mirabal was an attempt at a joke that backfired. After finding himself so busy with other customers that he could not complete Martin’s transaction, Davenport said he asked Mirabal for help. That’s when Mirabal made his remark, Davenport said.

However, the police union officials did not find the incident to be a laughing matter.

Marano, president of the Broward Police Benevolent Association, said Tuesday’s incident was another example of attacks against police officers in America.

“For an officer to be denied service just because she was wearing a uniform, this has just gone on too far and America needs to wake up,” he said. “The president needs to wake up. He needs to get to the podium to address this issue just like he has addressed issues in Baltimore, like he has in Ferguson. He needs to address this issue as well.”

Brown called the company’s decisions about its personnel “complex and difficult” and said they were made after a “thorough investigation.

“We have reviewed our process and decision with the Pembroke Pines Police Department, who made it clear they consider the case closed,” Brown said.

Copyright 2015 the Sun Sentinel

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