Amid nationwide security concerns, I-TEAM finds 1,000+ calls to Jacksonville-area Starbucks stores i

After announcing that 16 Starbucks locations around the country would close due to repeated safety issues including drug use and other disruptive behaviors that threaten staff, CEO Howard Schultz said in a video posted to Twitter that more store closures were coming.

Schultz said he’s focused on making stores safer — as employees at some locations say the popular coffee shops have become havens for crime.

Although no stores have closed in Northeast Florida, the News4JAX I-TEAM took a deeper look at Jacksonville-area Starbucks stores and found law enforcement officials find themselves there frequently.

After pulling reports from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office — looking at 23 Starbucks locations dating back to 2020 (Jan 1, 2020-July 13, 2022) — the I-TEAM found that JSO responded to Starbucks addresses more than 1,000 times. JSO was called out to handle situations, at or near the stores, such as loitering, drug use, armed fights, squatting, theft, domestic violence and other incidents surrounding the stores.

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A former Starbucks employee told News4JAX her past stores were plagued with problems. She spoke to News4JAX on condition of anonymity.

“I saw on multiple occasions, people doing drugs,” the former employee said. “There was one time we walked into the store and there was actually someone overdosed on our front patio.”

The former worker said she was employed at two Jacksonville Starbucks locations and said there were constant concerns. She said a factor may be the chain’s “open door policy,” which includes opening restrooms to anyone – not just paying customers. She believes the responsibility should lie with corporate, and not store management or the police.

“They want to be as inviting to guests as possible,” the former employee said. “And I get that, but at the same time, it’s also inviting in the wrong kind of people into the store where they’re taking advantage of our hospitality there and using it for their own good.”

She said she worried about her safety while working at the company.

“Oh, yeah, there was one situation where this lady got very aggressive in the drive-thru, threw her sandwich and then threatened to actually shoot the store up,” the former employee said.

The former barista hopes for more safety and security, for all employees, who can begin working at the age of 16.

Here’s a breakdown of calls for service, calls made to 911 and JSO’s non-emergency number for the stores in our area from 2020 to now: (NOTE: The incidents originating from these addresses did not necessarily originate in the stores themselves)

The Monument Road location in East Arlington topped the list with 438 calls for service. The store on Blanding Boulevard in Argyle had 392 calls. Starbucks on Margaret Street in Riverside had 154. And the shop on Atlantic Boulevard in Regency had 127 police dispatches.

The reasons run the gambit – from drug activity to assaults to armed disputes and suspicious people. The I-TEAM wants to note that not all of the incidents are happening inside the store or even on the property – it’s just the address given to operators. So that could be a crash out front or an issue at a neighboring business. A good chunk of the calls are also “disputes,” which could be a range of issues.

By July 31, Starbucks will also be permanently closing six stores each in the Seattle and Los Angeles areas, and single locations in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

“The closures were prompted by employee complaints that the areas were becoming too dangerous as drug users were using the chain’s bathroom facilities while customers and workers also reported instances of theft, assault, and other crimes,” The New York Post reports.

Sam Jefferies, Senior Manager, Brand Reputation and Crisis Communications at Starbucks, said that not all incidents reported happened at the store and that not all incidents lead to 911 calls.

“Partners are trained in de-escalation and mental health first aid, and we announced we would be increasing the number of training hours last week,” Jefferies said.

Employees will also receive active shooter training in August, according to the website.

Click here to read the full message to Starbucks partners about safety in stores.

Post source: News 4jax

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