The sheriff for Cobb County, Georgia, is getting grilled after multiple deputies arrived to resolve his order dispute at Burger King.
Sheriff Craig Owens, who is seeking reelection in the county, received backlash for the ordeal, with many criticizing his calling upon a squad of officers. Body camera footage, shared by his opponent David Cavender, unveiled the 2023 incident to the public.
Owens detailed why he called the deputies in an interview with WSB-TV. He recalled arriving at Burger King with his wife, noting he did not wear his uniform nor identify himself as the sheriff. The dispute started after his wife received a burger with an ingredient she was allergic to, which he notified the fast food employees about. The situation escalated after Owens was allegedly denied a refund by the eatery’s management.
“It was about the wrong order, and it would make my wife sick. If she ate mayo, she would get sick, so we clearly explained that to him,” explained the Democratic incumbent. “When [the manager] refused, I asked, ‘Well, can we get our money back?’ He also refused and slammed the door, the drive-thru window.”
Despite trying to get a resolution or monetary refund for their troubles, Owens then called upon a deputy to support him in the matter.
“I thought the best thing to do was to call a deputy,” he explained. “In hindsight, I probably should have just drove off and took the bad service and left and came back another day.”
However, Owens said he regrets his actions and how they took away from more serious matters.
Owens added, “Thinking about it now, in hindsight, again, I apologize to any of the citizens of Cobb County that this has affected negatively as well as my office.”
On the other hand, his Republican opponent believes it sheds greater light on Owens’ leadership, inferring that it was an abuse of power. An assistant manager at the location also shared that Owen’s raised voice and cursing prompted them to lock the doors.
“You shouldn’t use that position to make any citizen, whether on or off duty, feel unsafe. Especially when they have to lock themselves in the business,” expressed Cavender.
He deemed the matter trivial, especially for the work of deputies.
Cavender continued, “You’re going to tie up multiple deputies that should be serving the citizens of Cobb County when, instead, they are coming here because you were unable to navigate the turbulent waters of ordering fast food.”
Despite the controversy, Owens hopes to maintain his seat as the incumbent sheriff following Election Day.
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