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<\/p>\nMany first responders find themselves working on the weekends, on major holidays, and even on their own birthdays. Their families know it\u2019s all part of the sacrifice. In fact, many law enforcement officers patronize eating establishments while on duty and in uniform. Even though they are taking their assigned break to eat, they are still required to have their firearms on them at all times in case of an emergency.<\/p>\n
That was the case when Kansas City Police Officer Michael Holsworth agreed to meet his family at a local Olive Garden on his lunch break for his birthday. His family was late to arrive, so he was waiting for them at the front of the restaurant when an employee walked up to him and said, \u201cSir, we don\u2019t allow guns in here,\u201d according to Holsworth.<\/p>\n
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Officer Michael Holsworth on patrol (Credit: Facebook)<\/p>\n
The Kansas City motorcycle patrolman described the situation. \u201cNow mind you I am was in full police uniform, and on duty,\u201d he explained. \u201cI actually thought it was a joke at first, so I asked her, \u2018Are you serious?’\u201d he recalled. \u201cShe replied back with \u2018Yes.\u2019 So I told her, \u2018Well, I can leave I guess.\u2019 She then replied back, \u2018Yes, please leave.’\u201d<\/p>\n
Officer Holsworth took to social media to share his experience. \u201cNow I never in my wildest thoughts of thoughts this would happen in the Kansas City area,\u201d Holsworth fumed in a Facebook post that was shared more than 12,000 times, according to Yahoo News. \u201cI see it happening all over the United States to other officers but never thought it would happen to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
All hell broke loose for Olive Garden as the community backed the police officer and his family. According to Fox 43, \u201cThe news sparked outrage on Olive Garden\u2019s Facebook and Twitter pages and the company quickly responded saying that Olive Garden loves serving law enforcement and the incident was a misunderstanding.\u201d As the outrage continued, Olive Garden\u2019s president personally issued an apology to Officer Holsworth.<\/p>\n
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Kansas City Police Officer Michael Holsworth (Credit: Facebook)<\/p>\n
\u201cRich Jeffers, Olive Garden Spokesperson, said the president of the company, Dave George, called the officer by phone to apologize for the incident. Jeffers said it was not a member of management who told the officer to leave, but a hostess,\u201d Fox 4 News reported. However, one reporter for Police Officer\u2019s Magazine had a different take. \u201cOlive Garden apologized for the incident and said it was because the officer was armed, not because he was a cop,\u201d David Griffith reported. \u201cAnd I\u2019d like to throw the flag for 15 yards for BS on that explanation. I think this was a political statement by the restaurant\u2019s employee.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brad Lemon, president of the Fraternal Order Of Police, also weighed in. \u201cIt\u2019s been an incredibly difficult day for our brother, and our entire family,\u201d he wrote on Facebook. \u201cAll we ever ask is to be treated fairly and with the same respect to due anyone else. When we are treated poorly because of our chosen occupation, it hurts. It\u2019s not okay to treat law enforcement poorly. We deserve, and have earned, the same level of respect due to each and every member of society.\u201d<\/p>\n
Officer Holsworth also had some parting remarks about the entire situation. \u201cMy experience today at Olive Garden was extremely unfortunate,\u201d he wrote. \u201cI posted on Facebook about the treatment I received because I did not want other officers to be subjected to the same embarrassing situation that occurred today.\u201d<\/p>\n