And people wonder why citizens don't trust cops?

[url]http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030526/APN/305260560&cachetime=5[/url]

Fort Myers officer works drive-thru window to fight crime

The Associated Press

A city police officer went undercover as a McDonald's drive-thru employee in an attempt to spot in-car criminal activity, but neither the fast-food giant's corporate offices nor local franchise ownership were apparently made aware of the sting.

Officer Glen Eppler's work inside the restaurant netted six arrests and 29 citations, including some on drugs and weapons charges, police officials said. When Eppler would spot criminal activity, he would radio ahead to waiting patrol cars which would investigate further.

McDonald's officials, however, say they never knew anything about Eppler's operation.

"We don't get involved with those sort of things without consulting counsel," franchise owner Samir Homsi said. "Somebody didn't do the right steps. I'm upset, because I didn't know anything and they didn't ask me."

Fort Myers police spokeswoman Kara Winton said the sting idea was hatched after McDonald's employees contacted police to tell them about criminal activity they would witness, such as drug usage or children not wearing seat belts.

A former McDonald's manager told police that they would be allowed to have an undercover officer work the drive-thru, Winton said. But that manager, who was not identified and left the Fort Myers restaurant before the sting began in March, apparently was not authorized to make such a decision.

"We regret the appropriate sources didn't get notified, but we were under the impression that they did," Winton said.

Sheila Young, a spokeswoman at McDonald's corporate headquarters in Oak Brook, Ill., declined to comment because "it is a police matter."

It's the second unusual undercover police operation revealed in Florida in recent days.

Last week, police in Kissimmee went undercover as homeless people in tattered clothes to catch drivers running red lights. The sting, dubbed Operation Vagrant, caught 171 drivers running red lights or committing other violations, but was denounced as offensive by homeless advocates.

So theres actually people who advocate homelessness?
But seriousley maybe they should spend time working in shelters instead of complaining because cops dressed like homeless people to catch criminals.
As for the McDonalds story, well they should have gotten the proper authorization but its a pretty damn good idea.