To: Steve Anderson, Chief of Police
Nashville Metro Officer Shaun Heath: Replace the Home You Destroyed and Apologize
Make Officer Shaun Heath replace the home he destroyed and give a formal apology if he wants to continue to "protect and serve" the people of Nashville.
Why is this important?
A few weeks ago in Nashville, a group of Metro police officers made a sweep on a homeless camp on one of the coldest nights of the year. One man in particular was cited for trespassing, and when he returned to the camp, he found that his tent had been slashed open with a knife... by one of the officers!
"My tent was slashed. I mean, it looked like Freddy Krueger had come through there and cut it up. Brand new tent. I hadn't had it two weeks. $150 dollar tent, and they're not easy for me to come by being homeless, you know."
The man had no choice but to sleep in what was left of his home, and woke up under a half inch of snow.
Metro Police Officer Shaun Heath admitted what he did and has since been demoted and taken off the streets pending investigation.
"This was one officer doing something that he shouldn't have done. It should not have happened, there's no question about that. He realizes that. He realizes that he was wrong in what he did," said Metro Police Cmdr. Marlene Pardue, of the West Precinct.
The homeless man, now relocated and using a borrowed tent, is not asking for a new tent or the officer's job. He simply wants an apology and mutual respect.
I feel that if Officer Shaun Heath wants to continue to "protect and serve" the people of Nashville, he should replace the home he destroyed and make a formal, public apology.
"My tent was slashed. I mean, it looked like Freddy Krueger had come through there and cut it up. Brand new tent. I hadn't had it two weeks. $150 dollar tent, and they're not easy for me to come by being homeless, you know."
The man had no choice but to sleep in what was left of his home, and woke up under a half inch of snow.
Metro Police Officer Shaun Heath admitted what he did and has since been demoted and taken off the streets pending investigation.
"This was one officer doing something that he shouldn't have done. It should not have happened, there's no question about that. He realizes that. He realizes that he was wrong in what he did," said Metro Police Cmdr. Marlene Pardue, of the West Precinct.
The homeless man, now relocated and using a borrowed tent, is not asking for a new tent or the officer's job. He simply wants an apology and mutual respect.
I feel that if Officer Shaun Heath wants to continue to "protect and serve" the people of Nashville, he should replace the home he destroyed and make a formal, public apology.