A Norwalk Starbucks employee thought it was clever to doodle a pig on a deputy’s coffee cup. Instead of making a point, they just proved that even with a Sharpie, some people still manage to say nothing intelligent at all.
By Brian Hews
January 12, 2026
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is speaking out after one of its deputies was served a cup of coffee from an employee of a Norwalk Starbucks with a hand-drawn image of a pig on it.
In a statement, sheriff’s officials condemned the Jan. 9 incident, saying the image of a pig “is commonly used to demean law enforcement” and that the “action was extremely offensive, inappropriate, and unacceptable.”
On his private Instagram account, the deputy targeted by the drawing said he had stopped at the Starbucks in the middle of a 16-hour shift to get a cup of coffee so that he could just keep going.
“It felt discouraging and disrespectful, especially after a long day of serving the community,” the deputy wrote in the post. “All I wanted was caffeine, but instead I left feeling uneasy.”
Sheriff’s officials said the deputy reported the incident to the store manager, who advised that the matter would be investigated.
The sheriff’s deputy said he felt discouraged and uneasy by the drawing. (LASD)
L.A. Sheriff Robert Luna, after learning about the incident, contacted Starbucks’ corporate security division “to formally raise concerns and to ensure accountability,” the department’s statement noted.
Sheriff Luna also spoke with the deputy in question to check on his well-being and communicate that “disrespectful actions will not be tolerated against our personnel.”
A Starbucks’ spokesperson who spoke to KTLA Sunday evening also condemned the employee’s actions and said the drawing appears to be a popular meme not associated with law enforcement that should have never been delivered to a customer.
“This was unacceptable. We have reached out to the customer several times and leaders in the Sheriff’s Department to apologize,” the Starbucks’ spokesperson said. “We have a deep appreciation for law enforcement who are dedicated to keeping our communities safe. We immediately launched an investigation and are taking swift action.”
Comments on the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department’s Facebook page, where the statement was posted, ranged from calls for the employee’s termination and displays of support for the department to some observers calling the department’s position “embarrassing” and overly sensitive.