Bakersfield, CA- There’s an incident that took place at a McDonald’s restaurant based out of Bakersfield, California that seems reminiscent of a scene from the cult comedy classic Super Troopers.

However, this time, there was no Farva, no burger-punk, no liter o-cola, and certainly no one was laughing about what happened once police got involved.

Earlier in the week, management from a Bakersfield, California McDonald’s had reportedly caught an employee tampering with food that was being prepared for a police officer who had recently ordered.

Anyone who has ever worked at fast food establishment, or maybe those who have seen the movie Waiting, is likely guilty of jovially joking about the idea of tainting someone’s food when they’re being a jerk in the restaurant or the drive-thru. While most leave the notion at jokes, those who cross the line are also crossing into felonious territory: big time.

The employee was taken into custody after the local sheriff’s office was made aware of the incident.

Apparently, the McDonald’s location wanted nothing to do with an employee that would nonchalantly mishandle food; considering that once a location becomes notorious for something of that caliber, it’s extremely difficult for a restaurant to distance themselves from that stigma.

The suspect, Tatyana Hargrove, had previously accused the local police department of excessive force for a 2017 encounter with law enforcement officers.

In 2017, Hargrove sued the city of Bakersfield, alleging excessive force and civil rights violations after she was reportedly mistaken for a male suspect.

The officers denied Hargrove’s claims that officers used excessive force, instead claiming that she resisted arrested. Ultimately, the endeavor was moot and Hargrove lost the suit since there was no evidence of the excessive force that was being claimed.

The incident that led to the arrest of Tatyana Hargrove had taken place just this past Tuesday at the McDonald’s in Bakersfield. According to the report, the employee allegedly tampered with a police officer’s food, but as of now there’s no specifics with regard to what the suspect had allegedly done to said food that was served to an officer on that day.

She was taken into custody on Saturday morning and was booked on one felony count of tampering with food. While what the employee allegedly did at the time might have been funny to some, the two to five years in prison that they face if convicted won’t be as funny.

The restaurant’s management became aware of the incident that took place that Tuesday while they were reviewing in-store footage from the security cameras. Once they had witnessed what they believed to be blatant tampering of food, they had immediately contacted the local authorities and handed over the video footage in question.

In a press release that was obtained by the local ABC 23 news station, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office said that they obtained video footage of Tatyana Hargrove tampering with the food.

Based on the footage that they received from the store management, they too determined that her actions appeared to be intentional. While the Bakersfield Police Department did not reveal what they had witnessed specifically on camera, they did confirm that a BPD officer was involved in the tainted food transaction.

In a statement obtained by Fox News, the McDonald’s owner, Jim Abbate, said:

“I want to ensure our customers and law enforcement that the behavior exhibited by the individual involved in this incident does not represent my values nor those of my McDonald’s business.

When we found out about this disturbing incident, we quickly notified the police. We are cooperating with their investigation and want law enforcement to know they are always welcome at McDonald’s.”

While a preparing a tainted meal for someone you have disdain for might bring some momentary gratification, the fact is that if caught you’ll likely have a few years to think about just how unfunny that act is. If convicted, hopefully the time in prison leaves a bad taste in their mouth.

It’s always a pleasant change of pace to hear about companies coming out to support and protect law enforcement. We reported one such story out of Roxboro, North Carolina last week.

Two employees at a restaurant in North Carolina called Cook Out have been canned after a cashier refused to take the order of a police officer.

It happened last week in Roxboro.

Police Chief David Hess said army veteran and police officer Kenneth Horton walked the restaurant and tried to order, but the cashier refused to take the order.

According to the manager, she was in the back of the restaurant when it happened. She claims the cashier then asked another worker to take the order.

“I just wish they would have asked me to come up front to take their order,” the manager told local media outlets.

The cashier was fired. But the restaurant didn’t stop there. The district manager also fired the manager.

“He told me that I should have went outside and got the officer’s attention and offer to take his order,” the manager said.

But she claims she didn’t feel safe in doing so, as she “didn’t know the specifics of what happened”.

According to Chief Hess, the police department did not ask for Cook Out corporate to fire anyone… the company made that decision on their own.

“We’re saddened that an employee denied service to a police officer,” he told the media. “We promote unity. Unfortunately, it’s all because of a small action that could have been avoided.”

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could see more companies stand up against the anti-police rhetoric?

Earlier this year, we reported on how one of America’s most law enforcement friendly restaurants came under attack… for a whole different reason. In case you missed it, here’s that story:

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I haven’t seen any scientific studies on this, but I think it’s safe to say that 98% of my fellow officers aren’t exactly healthy eaters on the job.

Pack a lunch? Nah. That’s what God invented the drive-thru for.

Because of that, police officers are to fast food restaurants what sommeliers are to fine wine – nobody knows them better.

Ask most of us, and we’ll tell you what fast food restaurant is the most LEO-friendly – Chick-fil-A.

They treat us like gold. We don’t go there for the free food, but I don’t think they’ve let me pay any time I’ve gone there in uniform.

Their staff is kind, prompt and respectful. Their prices are fair. Their food is delicious. There are actually healthy meal options for us (not that we choose them, because those fries are like crack). And most of all, they’ve proven time and time again that the Christian values that the company is run with translate into deep respect and appreciation for law enforcement, something that many people seem to lack these days.

Suffice it to say the latest story I read about San Antonio International Airport discriminating against them in the name of inclusivity chapped my ass.

In case you missed it, the San Antonio City Council rejected a potential Chick-fil-A location at the airport this week.

According to media reports, the latest Food, Beverage, and Retail Prime Concession Agreement, which is a seven-year contract, is set to generate more than $2 million for the Texas city.

And although other restaurants and retail spaces were approved, Chick-fil-A, which was proposed, was struck down.

Councilman Robert Treviño said that the council made the decision based on inclusivity.

“With this decision, the City Council reaffirmed the work our city has done to become a champion of equality and inclusion,” he said. “San Antonio is a city full of compassion, and we do not have room in our public facilities for a business with a legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior.”

He said they making the move in the ironic name of inclusivity.

“Everyone has a place here,” he added, “and everyone should feel welcome when they walk through our airport.”

No, you hypocritical jack ass. Discriminating against a company because of their religious values isn’t “inclusive”. It’s “exclusive” and frankly, arguably a violation of the separation of church and state.

It’s another demonstration that progressives welcome freedom of speech and religion as long as it’s what they believe in.

The decision came after Think Progress published a “bombshell” on Chick-fil-A earlier this week, revealing the company’s tax documents and the organizations they support.

The business’ foundation donated more than $1.8 million to organizations considered “controversial” because of their stances on biblical marriage.

Those organizations included the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Salvation Army, which have come under scrutiny regarding their stance on LGBTQ issues.

Chick-fil-A issued a throat-punching yet incredibly Godly response after the reports were released, condemning the spread of untruthful and biased reporting.

A restaurant representative expressed their disappointment with this statement:

“The press release issued by Council Member Treviño was the first we heard of his motion and its approval by the San Antonio City Council,” the spokesperson said. “We agree with him that everyone is and should feel welcome at Chick-fil-A. We have a fundamental code of conduct at Chick-fil-A: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

The statement went on to explain that the restaurant embraces all people from all walks of life.

“The 140,000 people who serve customers in our restaurants on a daily basis represent and embrace all people, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity,” the statement noted. “Our intent is to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.”

They finished the statement by extending a diplomatic offer to the city council.

“We would still welcome the opportunity to have a thoughtful dialogue with the city council and plan to reach out to them. It’s unfortunate that mischaracterizations of our brand have led to decisions like this,” the statement concluded. “The sole focus of the Chick-fil-A Foundation is to support causes focused on youth and education. We are proud of the positive impact we are making in communities across America and have been transparent about our giving on our website.”

Let’s be clear – using the power of your office and taxpayer dollars to discriminate against a company because YOU don’t like their religion isn’t just wrong – it’s unconstitutional. It’s time we start removing people like this from power.

In the meantime, thanks for reminding America which restaurant we should be dining at… and which city we should avoid traveling to.

America still exists – apparently just not in San Antonio.

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