NORWALK, Calif. (CNS) - Starbucks has fired a barista who drew an image of a pig on a coffee cup that was served to a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputy, it was reported Tuesday.
The incident occurred Jan. 9 at a Starbucks in Norwalk. The deputy reported it to the store manager, who said he would investigate the matter.
Sheriff Robert Luna later contacted a person in Starbucks' corporate security division to formally raise his concern.
"This action was extremely offensive, inappropriate and unacceptable," a sheriff's department statement said. "Acts that promote hostility and division toward law enforcement undermine community trust and public safety."
The image of a pig is commonly used to demean law enforcement, but the coffee company said the hand-drawn image was based on the internet meme "John Pork," and was drawn before the deputy entered the store in an effort to cheer up co-workers.
Nevertheless, the worker was fired.
"This was unacceptable. We have reached out to the customer several times and to leaders in the sheriff's department to apologize," said Jaci Anderson, Starbucks' director of global communications, according to the New York Post. "Every customer should always be made to feel welcome in our stores."
Copyright 2026, City News Service, Inc.
