Starbucks has announced that it will allows customers at its stores to openly carry firearms where it is legal to do so. Keep in mind that often there is no training requirement to carry openly. According to the Marketwatch, there are 43 states that allow open carry. Politics aside, is this sound security practice? Has Starbucks inadvertently made itself a target for gun aficionados to congregate?
As security practitioners we tend to frown on environments where there are more guns. More guns means there is a greater likelihood for bad things to happen. Even the greatest handlers of weapons have accidents. As an example, just a few days ago an Atlantic City officer accidentally fatally shot himself. I am sure we have all seen the DEA agent who shot himself in front of a classroom full of kids. These are trained professionals and they made serious mistakes. Now Starbucks is basically allowing anyone who is legally allowed to own a gun to carry it in its stores.
Let’s not forget that there is a history of bad things happening with guns in coffee shops. Does anyone remember the four police officers killed in Lakewood? Maybe Starbucks has forgotten that it lost three of its own employees to gunfire in Georgetown. Sure, these are examples of people breaking the law but it seems Starbucks has a short and insensitive memory.
From a liability perspective does this make sense? Accidents happen, we know that. But what happens if a Starbucks is robbed and there are armed citizens in the store? What if they all start shooting?
Peet’s, my favorite coffee chain, and California Pizza Kitchen have already said they will deny entry to those people openly carrying arms who are not law enforcement.
Go easy,
Josh
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I think Starbucks has been open carry for a while now….even before the news article….and I don’t think there was much talk about it upon initiation of the policy. My thought is that people are not going to change their behavior just to carry openingly for a cup of coffee. If they carried before they will continue to….but if they did not carry before I don’t think that this one thing will motivate them to carry. The greatest impact that I see from this policy change is that those of us who are second amendment supporters will have an even better percetion of Starbucks.