A police officer came by our BBQ restaurant yesterday for the first time.  Today he came back with some buddies.  He looked in the back of my suburban and saw two Bush '04 yard signs and a case of XM193 5.56.  His only comment "I knew you were good people"

That is a NICE cop story.

Nice. Where are you from in Washington?

Actually it's a very typical incident but you'll almost never hear the good stuff reported. Certainly not on the likes of KIRO or KOMO   Good cop stories don't sell.
We eat, shop, read....everything that everyone else does. And when we find a restaurant that treats us like they do any other patron, we come back. All we want is a decent cup of coffee or good chow, and to be left alone to enjoy it without fielding stupid questions or remarks or a pissy attitude, and believe me there are more than a few places that would rather not have cops patronize their establishments

"there are more than a few places that would rather not have cops patronize their establishments
"

Amen to that. But when the 24-hour IHOP has 2 or 3 city cops eating at the same time as 4-5 highway guys, it kinda figures that they're doing something right.

Quoted: believe me there are more than a few places that would rather not have cops patronize their establishments

Why would any restauranteur not want LEOs in their place? My favorite local restaurant is popular with the LEOs. That's one of the reasons why it's my favorite.

Quoted: Quoted: believe me there are more than a few places that would rather not have cops patronize their establishments Why would any restauranteur not want LEOs in their place? My favorite local restaurant is popular with the LEOs. That's one of the reasons why it's my favorite.

Their disdain for the police takes higher precedence than the dollar.  

If I had a restaurant I would want LEOs in it. I doubt and LEO would write bad checks or run out on a bill.  Also, its extremely unlikely that anyone would rob a restaurant with a bunch of cops in it. I mean, I have heard of it happening, but the robbers all died.

Some of the other patrons just feel very uncomfortable eating in the same place with Cops around, or try to make you feel uncomfortable with looks like we should be out patrolling 24/7 and not be taking breaks to eat.

Those are the ones you should be watching. ALL the eateries around here try to take care of us. Cuts down on the shakedown punks walking in asking for their cut, unless they get ethnic and try to talk in chinese. That never works with me around. There is this one italian place, but that's an IAB project.