An Atlanta sheriff has come under fire after his extreme response when Burger King staff got his order wrong.
Cobb County Sheriff Craig Owens Sr. was seen on body camera footage calling for backup at a Burger King restaurant after staff got his order wrong, and he asked officers to come in and ask for the name of a manager.
In videos posted by David Cavender, officers approached Owens in his truck in the parking lot and said, ‘Hey, do me a favor.’ I need… all I need is the name of the owner of this damn facility or the administrator.
Owens explained that he had received an incorrect order and was back and forth with staff members.
Cobb County Sheriff Craig Owens Sr. was caught on camera footage responding erratically to Burger King staff after they messed up his order.
Owens said the incident is being politicized in an attempt to win votes, and that it was simply a “business dispute that any citizen can raise.”
He continued: ‘She wanted (the passenger) a Whopper, without mayonnaise, cut in half, right? I don’t need my damn money back anymore. I just need to know who owns this place so I can make an official complaint about the service.’
Then, saying he wanted the name of the owner or manager, he makes a comment about the assistant manager at the place.
Maybe it’s a vice principal here now. “But I don’t know who he is, but he’s a complete idiot,” he added.
Without asking why he didn’t get the information himself, the agents approached the doors of the restaurant where the employees had locked themselves in.
After the staff opened the doors to the three assistants, one tells the assistant principal, “No one’s in trouble, we just want to know some names.”
“There is not even going to be a report written. “That guy out there is just going to file a complaint about his food,” he adds.
Owens wanted to order his wife a Whopper without mayonnaise, cut in half, but went back and forth with employees after her order was incorrect.
Three units responded to Owen’s request for backup along the way, saying, ‘Hey, do me a favor. I need to get… all I need is the name of the owner of this damn facility or the administrator.
Once they obtained the information they were asked for, the deputies informed the sheriff and explained that the employees were afraid due to a history of harassment and violence by angry customers.
Owens questioned whether the assistant manager did not want to give his last name, to which the assistant responded, “Yes.” He said he felt threatened, that someone was going to do something to him, like harass him or something. ‘
The sheriff simply laughed and asked, ‘You didn’t tell them who I was, did you?’, to which the deputy replied no.
Owens is up for re-election this year against David Cavendar for Cobb County Sheriff.
Cavendar posted the video to Facebook and wrote, “Set aside the next 4 minutes of your day and watch just one example of how the current Sheriff of Cobb abuses his position, wastes resources, and puts himself first.”
He continued: ‘And then ask yourself: do you want a Sheriff who will serve himself or one who will serve the community?’
Many community comments seemed to agree. One wrote: ‘Wow!! It’s time to expel him!’
The reporting officers were told they had to get the owner’s name so Owens could file a formal complaint about the service after going back and forth with employees.
When the informants approached the doors of the establishment, the employees had locked themselves in during normal hours out of fear.
Another wrote: ‘This is WILD!! Why would you put your MPs in this position and citizens/MPs in danger by turning on lights and sirens is unacceptable and beyond selfish!!’
Cavender shared another post on Facebook on Saturday, writing: “I have been accused of running a smear campaign, but let’s look at the definition: a scheme to discredit a public figure through false or dubious accusations.”
‘This is what I would call transparency or exposing the truth. “Owens walks with his head held high in public and intends to have the utmost character and integrity,” he added.
“While I was behind the scenes and out of public view, he and a certain member of his executive team have been pushing to fire me, discredit my reputation, and file complaints with Internal Affairs about me that were proven to be fabricated and completely false. .
“It speaks volumes that Sheriff Owens had the opportunity to appear on camera yesterday and explain his side or apologize and chose to do neither.”
One local voter, Sophia Farook, told WSB 2, “The video definitely resonated with me. These are hourly employees and they were so concerned that they closed the doors on our elected official.”
Cavendar plans to hire Mike Dondelinger as his future chief deputy if elected sheriff.
Dondelinger said he believed Owen’s actions were an “abuse of power,” a form of intimidation and a waste of resources.
Dondelinger told the outlet: “I’m surprised that the sheriff feels so flippant about this issue that he would have his deputies turn on lights and sirens, putting citizens and his deputies at risk, just so he can get information from a property owner. business that clearly could have been followed another day.
The sheriff, however, says the incident is being politicized in an attempt to win votes, he reported. WSB 2and stated that the call is a ‘business dispute that any citizen can make’.
When officers told Owens that employees felt threatened, he simply laughed and asked, ‘You didn’t tell them who I was, did you?’
Owens is up for reelection this year against David Cavendar, who took to Facebook to share the camera footage and encourage voters to take four minutes out of their day to view it.
He explained that he was not in uniform at the time and made no effort to make his position known or identify himself as a law enforcement officer.
“Nor did I ask those who responded to do anything they would not have done, have not done or have not done for anyone else making a commercial dispute call,” Owens said.
‘I have always worked to build trust in leadership. To our citizens and residents, it is clear that I need to work harder and I am committed to doing so. “Anything that detracts from the mission is a distraction and I deeply regret that,” he added.
Sheriff Owens has worked in law enforcement for more than 30 years, including the U.S. Army, and made history in 2020 by becoming the first African-American sheriff elected in Cobb County, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Cobb County.
Cavendar announced his candidacy for sheriff after 17 years of military service and 15 years of law enforcement.
