PHILADELPHIA – Mayor Kenney issued the following statement after he and other city officials met today with Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson and COO Rosalind Brewer:
“I believe Starbucks will cooperate fully with our probes of the matter, particularly the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations’ review of Starbucks’ policies. All parties agree that the outcome of this incident was extremely unfortunate and that’s why we are reviewing the incident seriously.
“This is not just a Starbucks issue. This is a societal issue. People can react differently to others based on skin color, and that is wrong. We have work to do, and we need to do so productively.”
Updates on Departmental Responses:
The Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations will review the firm’s policies, guidelines and procedures, including whether Starbucks has written policies, whether the policies are enforced uniformly, and how much discretion is left to individual employees. While no complaint has been filed, PCHR will be working to better understand the circumstances that led to this the incident and additional reports that have come to their attention about this specific location. PCHR has asked Starbucks for other information as well, including data on the demographics of their workforce and management.
The Philadelphia Police Department continues its internal review of the incident, which is not complete at this time. The Department is also reviewing protocols related to how officers respond to such circumstances. Specifically, they will audit current practice for training opportunities, and audit current practice for communications enhancements with businesses.
The Police Advisory Commission will review practices involved in this incident, will review general practices in 9th District, and will compare PPD practices to national best practices. PAC staff has asked to review all available video and to interview the citizens and responding officers who were present.