Starbucks Employee Arrested After Spitting In Cop's Drink: Police
PARK RIDGE, NJ — A Westwood man was arrested Monday after spitting in the drinks of police officers while on the job at a Park Ridge Starbucks, according to police.
Kevin Trejo, 21, of Westwood, faces several charges related to "drink tampering of a law enforcement officer," police said.
A Starbucks spokesperson confirmed on a Tuesday phone call that Trejo is no longer employed by the company.
Police said they began investigating the matter after receiving tips that an employee of the store was spitting in the drinks of law enforcement officers who went there.
In the past, the Park Ridge Starbucks location has hosted "Coffee with a Cop" events, and Police Chief Joseph Madden said he hopes this incident won't tarnish the relationship between the department and the business.
"We are hoping it was an isolated incident with a troubled employee," Madden said in an email to Patch. "We are hoping it does not change our relationship in the future."
A Starbucks spokesperson offered a similar hope for future relations.
"We want everyone who comes into our stores to receive a positive experience and when that doesn’t occur, we move quickly to address it and hold ourselves accountable," they said. "We will continue to support Park Ridge Police in their investigation and have a deep respect for the Park Ridge Police Department and the officers who help keep our partners and communities safe."
When asked if there were any coronavirus concerns related to this incident, Madden said there were and that potentially exposed officers would be tested.
"We will be following up on all appropriate tests to make sure all officers who may have been involved are tested and taken care of," Madden said.
Trejo is charged with subjecting an officer to bodily fluids, knowingly tampering with the drink of a law enforcement officer and creating a hazardous or dangerous condition.
This article originally appeared on the Westwood-Hillsdale Patch
