By Mike Stunson
The Charlotte Observer
DETROIT — A former police officer took it upon himself to serve sweet treats after a Michigan ice cream shop refused service to officers wearing body armor.
A social media post by Bryan Ede, a former Detroit Police Department officer, showed an ice cream truck parked down the street from Cold Truth Soft Serve, whose controversial stance garnered viral attention in late June.
Ede wrote on Facebook that he passed out ice cream for four hours in Detroit on Wednesday, July 6.
“I think it’s a way of saying hey, don’t listen to those guys,” he told WXYZ. “We love you, keep doing what you’re doing and we appreciate you. It doesn’t go unnoticed.”
Cold Truth was met with a flurry of negative reviews on its Google and Yelp pages following a post on its Instagram Story, which showed a police vehicle parked outside its shop.
“We can tolerate the parking, however ... we will not serve anyone wearing body armor,” the caption read, shown in a screengrab from WJBK.
Ice cream shop won’t serve police officers wearing body armor, calling it ‘disturbing’
Tim Mahoney, the owner of the store, called it “disturbing and unsettling” for families when officers come to the shop wearing “heavy duty tactical gear.”
[EARLIER: Detroit ice cream shop says it won’t serve cops in body armor]
The store has not commented on the ice cream truck parked near its shop Wednesday, and their social media posts continue to be filled with comments criticizing the store for its previous comments.
Ede said the free ice cream was provided to officers from Michigan Insurance and Financial Services, where he is currently employed. The ice cream truck was parked at several spots throughout Detroit, which was chronicled in the comments of the post.
Later that same day, a Detroit police officer was shot and killed in the line of duty. Detroit Police Chief James White said officer was a 5-year veteran with the department.
“Just spent four hours today giving out free ice cream to Detroit’s finest, only to have a Detroit police officer killed in the line of duty moments ago,” Ede said in a Facebook post. “This is why we have to support our police. They do a job most can’t or won’t. Having worn that uniform, it is the most thankless job today.”
©2022 The Charlotte Observer. Visit charlotteobserver.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.