Philadelphia Police Chief: I Made Starbucks Situation ‘Worse’

In a press conference Thursday afternoon, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said he regrets comments he made after two black men were arrested in a Philadelphia Starbucks this week, acknowledging that they only made the situation worse. “I should have said the officers acted within the scope of the law and not that they didn't do anything wrong. Words are very important,” he said. The two men were arrested after a store manager called the cops when they refused to leave the store. Ross then claimed that he wasn't aware that it was normal for people to spend a prolonged period of time in Starbucks without making a purchase, and said he believed the officers did not know that as well. “This is apparently a well-known fact with Starbucks customers,” he said. “Not everyone is aware that people spend long hours in Starbucks and aren’t necessarily expected to make a purchase.” The coffee chain will close all its stores on May 29th for “racial-bias” training.