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Responsible Retailing or Racial Profiling?Fred Meyer says it was following APD's advice to not sell Nyquil to suspected inebriates
Was it responsible intervention or blatant racial profiling? One Anchorage man says a local Fred Meyer refused to sell him Nyquil because he is Alaska Native, but store managers say they were only following police advice. It’s an incident that's caused quite an uproar on Facebook in the Alaska Native Community when Willy Topkok wasn't allowed to buy his sick roommate cold medicine because the store manager said he’d had too much to drink. But Willy says the store is the one with the problem because he wasn't drinking and they made a wrong decision based on his race.
Willy Topkok is proud to be Inupiaq and loves sharing his culture through his job. During the days Topkok works as an artist at Black Elk Leather Beads and Stones, and usually ends his day with a trip to his favorite grocery store Fred Meyer. But that changed one Saturday in November when Willy says he wasn't allowed to buy a common product that's sold on the shelves. “The manager came in front of me and took my Nyquil away from me,” said Topkok. “I looked at him and said what is the matter, he says you had enough to drink, I said excuse me, I just got off work from Black Elk.” Willy was surprised. He says he's bought cold medicine many times before that. “I said could I see a manager I would like to make a complaint,” said Topkok “He said I am the store manager and I can refuse service to anybody walking into my store.” – something Fred Meyer management is not denying. “Several years ago Anchorage Police has contacted us on several occasions and as a retailer asked us to make judgment calls regarding the sale of cough syrups and Listerine,” said Randy Mitchell, the store manager, for the Fred Meyer on Northern Lights. Mitchell says they've worked with law enforcement in the past after police said certain products caused problems on Anchorage streets. “In certain areas of town we find in homeless camps, just bottles and bottles, empty of bottles,” said Lt. Dave Parker, spokesman for Anchorage police. “Our officers from time to time in visiting the stores will encourage them to consider changing their eternal policies to put the alcohol bearing substances like Listerine behind the counter.” But Willy says he's not part of the problem. He says what happened in November wouldn't have happened if he looked different. “He assumed I was a drunk native,” “I can not change the color of my hair, the color of my eyes, if I had blond hair, blue eyes he probably would not have done that to me.” Now Fred Meyer wants to make some changes. From now on managers say they are taking the decision out of their cashier's hands. “Unfortunately its put the store in a situation where we are making judgment calls and in this case it kind of worked against us as far as our customers are concerned,” said Mitchell. “It really helped us understand that this was probably not the right thing to do for our customer and based off this incident we are not going to be doing that anymore.” Willy says it's good news, because everyone deserves the right to shop. There is a resolution to Willy Topkok's incident as he says a couple of weeks later he got an apology from Fred Meyer management as well as a $50 gift card and a discount card. And Willy did end up getting the Nyquil that night from Carrs-Safeway. Spokespeople at Carrs-Safeway and Walmart say they don't think they have issues with inebriates buying Listerine or cough syrup and Fred Meyer wants to work with police and the city in training stores and employees on how to handle dealing with the issue in the future. |
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Truth 907 said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 11:31 AM
Racial profileing at its best, to bad willy hasn't contacted a lawyer because this would be a huge payoff for him and a real eye opener for fred's and it's racist employees.
78049269Anne said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 11:53 AM
Is there an attorney out there to help Mr. Topkok? How about the ACLU? I think he should make an example of Fred Meyers. I'm as whitebread as a person can be and I have also had problems with Fred Meyers. I resolve it to my satisfaction by a lifetime commitment to boycott them. I hope that more people, and of all ethnicities should boycott their stores. PLEASE BOYCOTT FREDDIES!!!
78050522cooljulie said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 12:15 PM
Ok Anne, and let's boycott Carrs-Safeway because they arrested the woman who forgot to pay for the sandwich, and let's boycott Walmart because they support sweatshops and treat their employess like sh-t. Let's boycott natives because so many of them have substance abuse problems.....Do you see my point? A boycott doesn't solve the issue. Fred Meyer made a bad decision, and hopefully learned enough from it to change their policies. The people they hire are not typically educated/trained specifically enough to make responsible decisions about someone's level of sobriety. In Canada, you can buy cough medicne with codiene 'over the counter'. But, you have to ask for it from the pharmacist, and generally provide photo ID. That puts a trained person in the decision making process. Maybe stores here need to consider something similar for certain medicines. If you have a problem with Fred Meyer, then boycott them if that makes you feel better. But don't try to rope others into your grudge
78051804Anne said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 12:38 PM
Yes, and let's boycott people named Julie because spome people named Julie are bad people. Can you see how ignorant such a comment is? You assume I have a "grudge." The only way to make a business listen is by hitting them where it hurts them the most. They are in business to make money. With that comes responsibility and consequences for their actions. The United States would never exist if people did not join together for a just cause, whether or not they hold a "grudge." If you are treated badly at a business, do you continue to do business with them? If you do, how many times must you receive poor service before you stop spending your money with them? Are you in favor of racial profiling? Have you ever personally experienced bigotry? I have. No one can know what it feels like unless it has happened to them.
78053329Michael said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 2:30 PM
Who wrote this article "empty of bottles"?? "Changing their eternal policies"?? It reads like the author is drinking nyquil. "Taking the decision out of the cashiers hands"??The article mentions the encounter is between Willy and the store manager, not a cashier. Dense.
78059327Safeway Employee said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 4:11 PM
Good for Fred Myers!! I would of done the same thing. There is a huge problem with people in general stealing and purchasing cold medicine to get their fix. Channel 11 news completely turned this around and Im gonna boycott this news program, not Fred Myers!!
78064231Mik said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 4:28 PM
Isn't it cheaper to buy a pint of Gilbeys than NyQuil? Even if there is a problem with inebriates, not sure why a retailer would deny cold/flu medicine to a person because law enforcement says so. I don't see liquor stores making that judgement, they're selling to the chronics left and right all day long. So if physicians say we need to quit selling food to fat people, is Fred Meyer going to listen? The beauty, which can also be the ugliness, of living in a free country, is the freedom from 100 % government control.
78064851Akjessio said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 4:35 PM
Actually, I saw pretty much the same scenario play out right in front of me at a WalMart last year. A manager was "refusing service" to the the guy ahead of me in line who was trying to purchase a jumbo bottle of off-brand listerine. He was obviously stumbling drunk however... But, yeah, not just Freddie's that does this.
78065168Native Woman in Anchorage said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 4:41 PM
We are all naive if we think this doesn't happen wherever you go. I once approached the check-out at Carrs on Northern Lights and the cashier said, "I'm sorry ma'am but our food stamp machine isn't working." I politely informed her that I don't use food stamps and proceeded with my purchase. There was nothing about me that would have led her to believe I was using food stamps. What I think is sad is that the Native community is not as vocal as other minorities-I guarantee if the individual involved was of another race this would be more of an issue but because he is Native it's easier to make excuses.
78065502Annoyed by Profilers said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 5:24 PM
So, if I am not feeling well and need Nyquil and also needed Listerine because I use it to gargle in the mornings (before brushing my teeth) because Listerine is the only mouth rinse that helps me from getting sore throats all the time from the sinus drainage due to allergies, will I get denied? I would have to suffer because someone made a presumption that Alaska Natives are abusers of Nyquil & Listerine?
78067328nuniwarmiut said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 5:26 PM
sad
78067389ChamPaGne said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 5:26 PM
That was wrong i think, yes he is Native but that doesnt mean all native's have a problem. I am Athabascan Native,single mother but i do not have a problem. So if i were to go in not looking my best and bought a Nyquil bottle, the store wouldnt sell it to me cuz of the way i dressed and my race?? No, There are good Natives here and maybe some bad but cant control the way they look or the way they are as in like a drinking problem or drug problem. That doesnt mean ALL natives are the same. I think NATIVES need to go agianst this because this was wrong. Im not racist or judgmental but i really hate how other races treat us Natives. Act like we are the bad ones because some out there have a problem.
78067399redman said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 5:55 PM
and when someone walks in a buys a case of it and they him/her frozen stiff in a snow bank they will scream bloody murder.....oh no how could sell someone that much.......lets sue em!
78068644Just sayin said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 5:57 PM
I was in Fred Meyer on Muldoon when I saw a white lady, dirty, drunk, smelled really bad and the cashier, a customer and myself saw her put a bottle of Vodka in her pocket, when the manager was asked to come to the liquor store he said he couldn't do anything because he didn't see it.
78068721Inupiaqlove said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 6:23 PM
Definitely racial profiling. I spend a lot of money at Fred Meyers, but not anymore. As an Alaskan Native, I am taking a stand and will no longer spend hundreds of dollars a month at Fred Meyer's. I hope others will take a stand with me.
78069807safeway employee said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 6:53 PM
carrs/safeway does have issues with inebriates buying or stealing listerine or cough syrup. Good for you Fred Meyers.
78071089allthewaynative said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 7:04 PM
Wow, thats pretty sad to hear that. Well, about 2 weeks ago i had a cart load of groceries and when I got to paying, I had pulled out my card, and the cashier asks,"Are you paying with Food Stamps?" I was like,"Excuse me, why are you asking if im paying with FS?' He said,"Oh, there was just alotta food in your cart and thought you were paying it with that. I was like,"Wow, whatta way to ask some one a question when you dont know how im going to be paying for all that food. Maybe is time that I just get outta there n quit shopping there. Sorry that this happened to the guy just recently.
78071549compuuuter said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 7:23 PM
we can't get inside mr.topkok's or the fm manager's thought-processes but good to see things un-scrambled in the store w/o needing outside help.
78072289Anon said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 7:48 PM
First. It was not the store manager that did this. It was a manager at the store. Second. It was not a Fred Meyer policy to do this but a practice at that store due to APD asking them to take a proactive role. Third. The store resolved this issue with Mr. Topkok to his satisfaction prior to the news report even taking place. Bad reporting without all the facts leaving too many to draw conclusions.
78073264topknot said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 8:08 PM
Im going to FRED MEYERS next time I go to town and a bottle of cough medicine.
78073962yupiitnation said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 8:42 PM
but can't we see that Mr Willy seems to be a well dressed man and better yet seems to be clean !! Hmmm - so the stereo typing does not stop with the way we are dressed or look clean !! WOW . I know that if the tables were reversed , and Mr Willy did this to the manager - there would be a far worse cry to a group of people that have certain hair color and certain eye color - to stand behind the person that was mistreated the way Mr Willy was mistreated !!!- And the stereo typing still goes on at this century that surpasses the 19th century !!! WOW!
78075069AK49 said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 9:14 PM
Seems it was one store employee and not the whole store that made this mistake. Lets crucify the whole company for this. Much misguided rage here. Does this mean that the Native Alaskans working at the store are racist? How do they feel?
78075998charlie said on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 9:41 PM
speaking as a native, this must have been a very embarrassing thing to go through. it's a shame it took fred meyers a couple weeks to address his complaint, but they did address it, and are even changing the way they conduct business because of it. what more can you expect? they apologized and are making active efforts to correct the problem so it doesn't happen in the future. a boycott just doesn't make sense to me under those conditions.
78076808John said on Thursday, Dec 8 at 1:02 AM
i find this offensive
78080771Shawna said on Thursday, Dec 8 at 9:28 AM
Did someone say there are alaska native employees? i haven't been in there for a while but i really can't say i remember any natives working in that store
78101914Alaskan said on Thursday, Dec 8 at 9:53 AM
Hey rld00442 show your real name and quit hiding behind your screen name. You are really pathetic..I dare you to make those comments about other minorities or are Natives just an easy target for you?
78103511cooljulie said on Thursday, Dec 8 at 11:38 AM
Anee you proved my point perfectly, thanks! Your original comment was all about how YOU have a problem with 'Freddies', but then you end by encouraging everynoe to boycott them. That's called having a grudge. Easy to see which comment is ignorant.....
78111214Alaskan_Mother said on Thursday, Dec 8 at 12:13 PM
Not only Fred Meyers chose to target Alaska Natives, but they took the advice from the Police Department. It just shows you the amount of rasicm in our State. Are there only Alaska natives at these homeless camps in Anchorage? Maybe they provide the drugs at customer service like they do ciggs. I know for Sudafed I have to get them at the Pharmacy because of the abuse of other addicts.
78113708aqpayuq said on Thursday, Dec 8 at 12:54 PM
Good for Freddies to make things right for Mr. Topkok. However, Fred Meyers was saying they were only following suggestions from APD. If that was the case, then APD is the entity doing the Racial Profiling. This is an on-going problem with them. If anyone needs culture and race training, it is APD
78116943AlaskanAmerican said on Thursday, Dec 8 at 2:08 PM
Racism will never end no matter what anyone does about it. It has always existed; you know the saying, you reap what you sow. It is passed down from one generation to another. Being on the receiving end of it, however, is not good. Natives have been victims of racism for a long time. Keep your peace, our Elders taught us that. It is the better way to go, quietly and peacefully. At least you know the truth in your heart and no one can take that away from you unless you let them.
78122064Alaskan2 said on Thursday, Dec 8 at 5:00 PM
I know Willie and he is a responsible citizen. He makes an honest living. An accomplished Alaska Native Artist, he is not your 4th avenue drunk that Freddy wants you to believe. Willy's only problem is that he is an Alaska Native. If was turnip white he would not have been mistreated at Fred Meyer.
78131169Mike J,. said on Thursday, Dec 8 at 5:36 PM
Thinking you can't make an honest determination without seeing the gentleman's apparent appearance and demeanor that night. Store maybe overly caustious, but also thinking that later that evening if person found in snowbank with apparent OD and Fred's receipt found in pocket, same people would be criticizing Fred's for selling it to him.
78132944Alaskan2 said on Thursday, Dec 8 at 6:55 PM
Pretty sad when racial profiling is allowed in this day and age. I wonder if someone like Lisa Murkowski would be treated like that if she was trying to buy cold remedy for her friend.
78136104gwich'in spirit said on Thursday, Dec 8 at 9:33 PM
I am an Alaska Native who used to go to Fred Meyers and Safeway in Fairbanks, both owned by Kroger Company. Here is analysis on Fred Meyers toward Alaska Natives. Today, like back in the 1950 racism is not different, This not only happen at F.M. is happens all over Alaska. Natives are looked as second class, even though we have large corporation. It has no purpose just racism. The white business have no shame in what they do, no one cares, they want our money but not us.Racism been around since the first Russian and European landed in Alaska. If the big corporation would have a backbone, they would boycott Kroger (Fred Meyers and Safeway) for what the store manager done to this nice man who works for a living. I believe in my opinion, Mr. Topkok can take this to court and possibility the US Supreme Court under the Civil Rights Act. Suing Fred Meyers shows that we as Native don't need to put up with racism, blacks won their battle, why can't we. AFN is coming soon, think!
78141467sumguy said on Thursday, Dec 8 at 9:49 PM
Alaskan2, you are no better than freddys tryin to speak up for him, "his only problem is hes native" how is that a problem? you are also a racist whether you know it or not. i know willy, alota people know willy why would you even care, since hes "native"
78141823Force said on Friday, Dec 9 at 7:48 AM
The criminals here are APD.... Boycott APD. We are oppressed and overpoliced ... fight back where it hurts them the most
78157887ak girl said on Friday, Dec 9 at 8:44 AM
can you hear that?! A.C.L.U marching into something new.....
78161258anne said on Friday, Dec 9 at 11:13 AM
COOLJULIE: First of all, let me guess- you're an "R." And you cannot spell name correctly. And, YOU have proven MY point. How would you react if you were a minority and been treated like that? Or, even better, let's say you are not a minority and were treated like Mr. Topkok? Any reasonable person would be embarrassed and upset. If you were to not react, you are one of the millions of SHEEP in this country. If you were a teacher and one child misbehaved while using, let's say chalk. Would you then ban every child from touching the chalk because one child had misused it? Well, if you are an "R" I am wasting my time. You completely ignored the real point I was trying to make. In my mind, you're either one of the "R" sheep or incapable of understanding what you read. Either way, this is a waste of my time. No matter what you are, I know you are closed-minded and I could not enlighten you because you refuse to read and comprehend what I've stated. Goodbye.
78170886Anonymous said on Friday, Dec 9 at 12:17 PM
Seems to me that the only one's making this a The only Racial thing are the people commenting here.No were in the article does it state the manager walked up to him and said your a drunk native and you cant have this.Who's the profilers here?
78174917The truth by an Alaskan Native said on Friday, Dec 9 at 2:55 PM
I am a friend of Willys and there is no need to boycott any stores or sue anyone. All Willy wanted was to buy some cold medicine at Freddys and a store manager decides to make a bad choice that night. Willy ended up buying the product at Carrs. Willy went home that night and called acouple relatives for comfort. The story got big throughout facebook and KTVA noticed it and decides to do a story on it. All Willy wanted was an apology and he got the phone call from Freddys saying sorry. Thats how nice Willy is! I understand that stores have problems with alcholics, but that is no way to treat someone and if you were treated this way you would want an apology, too.
78182937cooljulie said on Saturday, Dec 10 at 12:31 AM
Anne, not going to debate you here, but if you follow my posts much you'd know I'm neither republican nor democrat, I'm too liberal and non-conformist for either party. I am also very much a minority, and have been discriminated against many times. Your original post was a rant against Fred Meyers, how YOU have had problems there too, that ended with you requesting (in all caps) everyone to boycott Freddies. That's asking uninvolved people to join you in YOUR grudge. Now you've decided you know all about who I am! Very amusing. I have no idea what point you were/are trying to make (your 'chalk' example is completely irrelevant and not even remotely analogous). Once again, you make a perfect case for who is 'closed minded' here. Thanks! : ) PS- take a political science course sometime, and learn how boycotts really work, and the proper time and place for them.
78199214cooljulie said on Saturday, Dec 10 at 12:38 AM
OOPS! Sorry, that last sentence should say 'economics', not political science. Trying to multi-task and it's not my forte!
78199284Alaskan907 said on Saturday, Dec 10 at 1:33 PM
@Anonymous, just wondering, if it is not racial profiling, what would you call it?
78222777OhhhhSooooTrue said on Sunday, Dec 11 at 7:56 AM
The Anchorage Police Dept seems to be encouraging racial profiling. Fred Meyers are apparently not the villians this time. Perhaps it is time for multicultural awareness training and some sensitivity classes for those brave lads in blu... er black
78251168alaskagirl said on Friday, Dec 16 at 9:56 PM
i have not shopped at fred meyers since reading the article on willy t
78567003lanna said on Sunday, Apr 1 at 6:03 PM
Willy is part of The Kingikmuit Dancers and Singers, I think that Fred Meyer should sponsor that group for a period of time, as an apology, and an act of good faith to show they are supporting the Native Community.
86197566Lanna said on Friday, Apr 13 at 11:09 AM
I understand the policy, and it is a big problem. I think that this FM manager approached him in a clearly disrespectful manner. If he had approached Willy with the policy to begin with as I'm sure is procedure, there wouldn't have been a problem. I know Willy personally, and he is a kind and gentle, understanding soul. One of my favorite cousins.
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