An Atlanta sheriff has come under fire after his extreme response to Burger King employees receiving his order incorrectly.
Cobb County Sheriff Craig Owens Sr. was seen on body camera footage calling for backup to a Burger King restaurant after staff received his order incorrectly, and asking officers to go inside and get a manager’s name.
In the videos David Cavender posted, the officers approached Owens in his truck in the parking lot and said, “Hey, do me a favor. I need it – all I need is the name of the owner of this damn facility or the manager.”
Owens explained that he had received an incorrect order and went back and forth with staff members.
Cobb County Sheriff, Craig Owens Sr., was caught on camera responding erratically to Burger King employees after they got his order wrong
Owens said the incident is being politicized in an effort to win votes, and that it was simply a “business dispute that any citizen can make.”
He continued, “I wanted her [passenger] a Whopper, not mayonnaise, cut in half, right? I don’t need any more damn money. I just need to find out who owns this place so I can file an official complaint about the service.”
He then says he wants the name of the owner or manager and makes a comment about the assistant manager on site.
“Maybe it’s an assistant manager here now. But I don’t know who he is, but he’s a complete bastard,” he added.
Without wondering why he didn’t get the information himself, the officers approached the doors of the restaurant where the employees had locked themselves.
After the staff opens the doors to the three deputies, someone tells the assistant manager, “Nobody’s in trouble, we just want to know some names.”
‘Not even a report is written. That guy out there is just going to complain about his food,” he adds.
Owens wanted to order his wife a Whopper without mayo, cut in half, but went back and forth with employees after his order was wrong
Three units responded to Owen’s request for drive through support, telling them, “Hey, do me a favor.” I need…all I need is the name of the owner of this damn facility or the manager’
Once they had the requested information, the officers reported to the sheriff, explaining that the employees were afraid due to a history of stalking and violence from angry customers.
Owens wondered if the assistant manager didn’t want to give his last name, to which the deputy says, “Yes.” He said he felt threatened, that someone would do something to him, like stalk him or something. ‘
The sheriff just laughed and asked, “You didn’t tell them who I was, did you?” to which the deputy said no.
Owens is running for re-election this year against David Cavendar for Cobb County Sheriff.
Cavendar posted the video to Facebook and wrote, “Set aside the next four minutes of your day and watch just one example of how Cobb’s current sheriff abuses his position, wastes resources, and puts himself first.”
He continued, “And then ask yourself, do you want a sheriff who serves himself or someone who serves the community?”
Many community responses seemed to agree. One wrote: ‘Wow!! Time to vote him out!’
The reporters were told to find out the owner’s name so Owens could file a formal complaint against the agency after going back and forth with employees
When the reporters approached the doors of the establishment, the employees had locked themselves out of fear during normal business hours
Another wrote: ‘This is WILD!! Why he would put his deputies in this position and endanger the citizens/deputies by using flashing lights and sirens is unacceptable and beyond selfish!!”
Cavender shared another post on Facebook on Saturday, where he wrote: ‘I have been accused of running a smear campaign, but let’s look at the definition: a plan to discredit a public figure by making false or dubious accusations express.’
“This is what I would call transparency or exposing the truth. Owens publicly walks around with his head held high and acts as if he is of the utmost character and integrity,” he added.
“While behind the scenes and out of the public eye, he has been pushing to get me fired, discredit my reputation, and file internal affairs complaints about me that have been proven to be fabricated and completely false.
“It speaks volumes that Sheriff Owens was given the opportunity yesterday to appear on camera and either explain his side or apologize, and he chose to do neither.”
A local voter, Sophia Farook, told WSB 2: “The video definitely convinced me. These are hourly employees, and they were so concerned that they locked the doors of our elected official.”
Cavendar plans to hire Mike Dondelinger as his future deputy if he is elected sheriff.
Dondelinger said he viewed Owen’s actions as an “abuse of power,” a form of intimidation and a waste of resources.
Dondelinger told the newspaper, “I am shocked that the sheriff is so flippant about this issue that he would allow officers to use flashing lights and sirens, putting citizens and his officers at risk, just so he could get information from a business owner that clearly states could have been prosecuted on another day.’
However, the sheriff says the incident is being politicized in an effort to gain votes WSB 2and said the call was a “business dispute that any citizen can make.”
When officers told Owens that the employees felt threatened, he just laughed and asked, “You didn’t tell them who I was, did you?”
Owens is running for re-election this year against David Cavendar, who took to Facebook to share the CCTV footage and encourage voters to take four minutes out of their day to watch it.
He explained that he was not wearing a uniform at the time and had no desire to make his position known or identify himself as a law enforcement officer.
“I also did not ask the responders to do anything they would not do, had not done or have not done for anyone else reporting a business dispute,” Owens said.
“I have always worked to build trust and confidence in leadership. It is clear to our citizens and residents that I have to work harder, and I promise I will. “Anything that distracts from the mission is a distraction, and for that I am deeply sorry,” he added.
Sheriff Owens has spent more than 30 years in law enforcement, including the U.S. Military, and he made history in 2020 by becoming the first African American elected sheriff in Cobb County, according to the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office.
Cavendar announced his candidacy for sheriff after 17 years of military service and 15 years of law enforcement.