NYC Police Union Finally Calls Off Dunkin’ Donuts Boycott

Nearly four months after it started, a New York City police union has ended the boycott against Dunkin’ Donuts — one that was originally initiated after an alleged discrimination incident against officers in Bed-Stuy.

At the end of July, two police officers claimed that they were denied service in a location of the chain in Bed-Stuy, with the employee saying he didn’t serve cops. The franchise owner apologized, but Michael Palladino, president of the NYPD Detectives’ Endowment Association, called for a police boycott of all locations of the chain, saying that a more robust apology from the corporate offices was necessary.

The Post reports that Dunkin’ Donuts recently took out a full-page ad in labor newspaper The Chief-Leader with an official apology, noting the company’s dedication to police officers. Apparently it was what the police union needed to hear. Palladino noted to the Post:

The DEA accepts their apology, and we acknowledge the longstanding support and commitment Dunkin’ Donuts has forged throughout the country with the law-enforcement community. I encourage both sides to resume the normal friendship and partnership.

The boycott started in August, and shortly after, some officers reportedly did things like refuse to offer directions to nearby Dunkin’ Donuts. Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD commissioner James O’Neill also blasted the chain for the incident.

Besides the police alleged incident, Dunkin’ was also accused of discrimination in Forest Hills Queens last year. A Facebook post about a staffer ridiculing a Chinese customer for her accent went viral, prompting a swift backlash.

• NYPD back to drinking Dunkin’ after getting long-awaited apology [NYP]