If you see police officers eating at a restaurant, is it permissible to pay for their meal (perhaps anonymously) as a way to thank them for their service?

A friend of mine is a chief of police in a small town. He has a strict "no gratuities" policy for officers, and they tend to observe it. One day, two officers finished their meal and were told by the cashier that another couple who had just left the restaurant had paid for their food. They were concerned this might be a violation of the department policy, even though they had every intention of paying for their meals. Their solution was to pay for the meal of an older couple they saw eating in the restaurant. By "paying it forward," they resolved their ethical conflict and did something nice for someone else.

That said, I think most cops would appreciate the gesture, but know that it would pose an ethical and/or procedural problem for some. I've paid the meal tabs for military service members I've seen eating in restaurants. So far as I know, they have no ethical restrictions in that regard.

Source: https://www.quora.com/If-you-see-police-officers-eating-at-a-restaurant-is-it-permissible-to-pay-for-their-meal-perhaps-anonymously-as-a-way-to-thank-them-for-their-service

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