A Washington sheriff says he was stunned to hear his deputies say they were banned from the Lucky Teriyaki restaurant. (Skagit County Sheriff's Office)
SEDRO-WOOLLEY, Wash. – A sheriff says he was "speechless" after learning that the owner of a teriyaki restaurant asked his deputies not to return because "other customers didn't like law enforcement there."
Skagit County Sheriff Will Reichardt said his chief deputy spoke to the owner of Lucky Teriyaki in Sedo-Woolley, Washington, to confirm what he had heard, according to KCPQ.
"The owner not only repeated the request but asked that we spread the word to other law enforcement that they were no longer welcome either," Reichardt said Thursday.
Here is the full statement posted on Facebook by Reichardt:
In just two hours the post was shared more than 10,000 times.
Many comments expressed outrage at law enforcement being banned from the restaurant, while others were skeptical. Some people accused the sheriff of posting secondhand, unconfirmed information or suggesting there was a language barrier.
Reichardt responded to dozens of comments, saying that there was no language barrier and that news of the restaurant's alleged anti-law enforcement policy was already circulating on social media. Reichardt said the purpose of the Facebook post was to confirm the facts.
The owner of the restaurant could not be immediately reached for comment.