However, the deputy that was providing security didn't arrest the woman. He called the sheriff's office and they sent other deputies to respond to the incident, and they arrested her.
The utility workers do have a legal right to be there. If you go and harass someone that has a legal right to be where they are, that is disorderly conduct, even if you remain on your own property while doing it.
The deputies that showed up after the off duty deputy called for backup are going to take him at his word that she was disorderly even if she was not misbehaving when they arrived.
So you're suggesting that this off duty officer just called in the other sheriff's deputies for the fun of it? If he did he must really like being ridiculed by his co-workers for not being able to deal with an old woman.
You think his co-workers are going to enjoy going out there and arresting an old woman and taking her to jail?
You're suggesting he is doing this to make the utility workers or the utility company happy. Why would the workers make a big deal out of this unless she was harassing them. Why would the utility company want the bad press of arresting an old woman?
She went over to them, not the other way around. Arguing with utility workers is also a pretty useless thing to do. They don't have any authority to change where the power lines go.
I find it hard to believe that officers arrested a little old woman for disorderly conduct when she didn't give them reason to do so. I also find it difficult to believe that an off duty deputy is going to call out other deputies just because a woman is standing on her own property and watching them.
LEO should not be permitted to moonlight as private security. It is a conflict of interest.
There's no evidence that he called out the other officers because of a conflict of interest, and if you want to ban deputies from having side jobs, you're going to have to pay them considerably more, because deputies don't get paid very well, and the side jobs are where they make a very large portion of their incomes. If you take away their ability to make a reasonable living, you're just going to end up with lower quality deputies.
Well I see that you live in Ohio, but I do not which county. But here in Lake County the Deputies are pretty well paid IMO. With an added benefit of driving their cruiser home considerably cuts the cost of living
So you're suggesting that this off duty officer just called in the other sheriff's deputies for the fun of it? If he did he must really like being ridiculed by his co-workers for not being able to deal with an old woman.
Your above does not take in to account that if he arrest the woman he would have to leave his off duty security job to take her away. His surveyor charges would be unprotected.
You think his co-workers are going to enjoy going out there and arresting an old woman and taking her to jail?
No, but I do believe that they will take their fellow deputy’s word that the woman was disorderly.
You're suggesting he is doing this to make the utility workers or the utility company happy. Why would the workers make a big deal out of this unless she was harassing them. Why would the utility company want the bad press of arresting an old woman?
What I am suggesting is that harassment is often a matter of perception. The property owner did not believe that she was harassing anyone but the officer did. I believe that the officer’s perception could be unconsciously altered by his employment with the utilities.
Spending time with these surveyors long enough he is going to form friendships with them.
It is likely that if he has been with these surveyors for a few months that other land owners have stopper the surveyors and asked similar questions. The surveyors after a time would start to become irritated by these questions as would the officer. Over time the officer might get a little short tempered and confrontational. If the old woman did not back down right away he may just decide to arrest her.
It is the personal relationship with the off duty employer (or their employees) that I see as the problem. It has the potential to change the way that a LEO perceives the behavior of those who interact with those he is hired by.
Arguing with utility workers is also a pretty useless thing to do….I find it hard to believe that officers arrested a little old woman for disorderly conduct when she didn't give them reason to do so.
She said she was asking questions not arguing. As I said above disorderly is a matter of perception. I suspect that the officer told her to leave the vicinity of the surveyors and she balked at being told to leave her own property. The officer having been in this situation again and again over the months of doing this part time job decided she was being disorderly.
We both are just surmising what happened because we have only the woman’s side of things. But this is my take.
According to the police report filed by Deputy Bush, she stood in Ms. Worley’s field and told Ms. Worley the property owner that she was not allowed to be present on her property during the surveying process. This female deputy had absolutely no authority to tell Ms. Worley that she was not able to be on or to move freely about her own property. When Ms. Worley restated her desire to remain on her property she was told by Bush that “She would see about that”. Then later after backup was call Ms. Worley’s was unlawfully arrested and her life altered for ever.
Get the facts, here is a link to the documents pertaining to Ms. Worley’s eminent domain nightmare.
Press Release: http://www.hopeofgeorgia.com/press_releases/press_release_092007.htm
Arrest Documents: http://www.hopeofgeorgia.com/?file=worley/index
These are some of the media links:
Fox Cable News Network aired a story live from the Barrow County Sheriff’s office that ran for about 6 min. long. Then there was another live story on “The Fox Report” that evening with Sheppard Smith
The story has been carried locally by WSBTV Channel 2 video: http://www.wsbtv.com/video/14162266/index.html and online: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/14161104/detail.html . Ms. Worley has been a guest on the Martha Zoller show on WDUN radio this week as well.
HOPE of Georgia is working to make further changes to eminent domain law and we need Georgia citizens help! HOPE of Georgia needs people contacting the Governor and their representatives in the legislature. HOPE does not want to stop construction, we just want to make sure people are treated fair and their rights are not violated in this state by the power utilities.
Don’t wait until they come for your land to take stand, it might be to late.
Mike Carter
Chairman
HOPE of Georgia
mike@hopeofgeorgia.com
www.hopeofgeorgia.com