The man said he didn’t like police. Then a Kansas City officer began taking orders

As an off-duty officer was working security at a Kansas City, Mo. McDonald’s, a customer who said he does not like police came up to him.

Officer Antoney Perez told the man he would try to change his mind, the Kansas City Missouri Police Department posted on Facebook.

“Officer Perez told the man he was just a regular person like everyone else,” the department posted. “The man replied, ‘So are you going to take my order then?’ ”

And that is when Perez stepped behind the counter of the McDonald’s to take the man’s order — and then other customer’s orders, as well.

“I wanted to try to change his outlook on cops and show him a different style and how at the end of the day we’re all just people,” Perez said. “At the end of the day, we’re all people and I go home to take care of my family just like everyone else does.”

Perez said he takes orders at that McDonald’s, 5347 Independence Ave., fairly regularly.

The department said it found out what Perez did when a Facebook follower sent in a photo.

“She didn't know who this officer was, but he stepped in to take some orders at the McDonald's on Independence Avenue during a busy time last Thursday,” the department said. “She said everyone was ‘lovin' it!’ ”

Perez said the man was shocked when he began taking his order.

“He was like, ‘Man, you really took my order,’ and I was like ‘Yeah man, it’s not that hard,’” Perez said. “He said that was crazy ... that’s cool.”

Manager Brandon Beck said he appreciates when the off-duty officers help during busy hours.

“I think it’s nice because it doesn’t make them look big and scary — it makes them approachable,” he said. “It makes it so we don’t look like a prison with guards at the door.”

This story was originally published January 24, 2018 at 2:45 PM with the headline "The man said he didn’t like police. Then a Kansas City officer began taking orders."