LA deputy sheriff receives cup with hand-drawn pig at Starbucks: ‘Extremely offensive’
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department expressed serious concern after a deputy received a Starbucks cup featuring a hand-drawn image of a pig.
The incident occurred in Norwalk, California, and quickly drew widespread attention. Starbucks later stated that the drawing was connected to a viral meme and was not intended for the on-duty deputy.
In a statement posted on social media, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said "disrespectful actions will not tolerated against our personnel," and that he had contacted Starbucks' corporate security division. Full Story: https://t.co/anUZbkboJS pic.twitter.com/pI0y3bttgM
— KTLA (@KTLA) January 12, 2026
Sheriff’s Department response to the Starbucks cup incident
On Friday, January 9, a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy stopped at a local coffee shop in Norwalk, and was served a cup with a pig drawn on it in Sharpie.
According to a statement posted on Facebook by the Sheriff Department, the department was “deeply concerned” by the incident. While the department did not initially name the coffee shop, Starbucks spokesperson Jaci Anderson later confirmed that the incident occurred at one of the company’s locations.
The sheriff’s department described the drawing as “extremely offensive, inappropriate and unacceptable.” In its statement, the department emphasized that deputies are members of the community who deserve to be treated with respect and basic human dignity.
The statement further said that acts promoting hostility and division toward law enforcement undermine both community trust and public safety. After receiving the cup, the deputy reported the incident to the store manager.
Following this, the sheriff contacted Starbucks’ corporate security division to formally raise concerns and ensure accountability. According to Anderson, the barista who handed the cup to the deputy is no longer employed by Starbucks.
As of January 13, the post had received more than 9,700 comments, reflecting widespread engagement and discussion about the situation and its implications.
Starbucks explanation and the John Pork meme
Photos circulating online showed the cup with a cartoon pig drawn in Sharpie, accompanied by two phone icons resembling a phone call request that can be accepted or rejected. Starbucks stated that the drawing was a reference to the meme and was not connected to law enforcement.
According to Anderson, the drawing was not intended to be given to any customers. She said the image was placed on the cup earlier in the day and was meant to uplift Starbucks partners working behind the bar. The drawing occurred hours before the deputy arrived at the store and placed the order.
The meme has circulated on social media since 2018. Pork is described as a social media influencer resembling an anthropomorphic pigman character with a human body and a pig’s head.
According to Know Your Meme, Pork had more than 486,000 Instagram followers as of January 13. In 2023, a series of TikTok videos featuring Pork attempting to FaceTime iPhone users went viral. This specific version of the meme is what Starbucks said was depicted on the cup.
