JUSTICE FOR HEATHER CLARK
Everyone should feel safe at their place of employment.
On February 23, 2023, a Senior Officer of Athens-Clarke County came into Ms. Clark’s bakery in uniform to pick up a cake for his father. While she was packaging some additional cupcakes, the Officer began an inappropriate conversation leaving her feeling attacked because of her sexual orientation.
He began by asking Ms. Clark what the one thing she could not live without was and continued by saying it was air. The Officer tells Ms. Clark “You wouldn’t believe how many people I’ve seen die because they didn’t have oxygen.” He says that everything comes down to God, who made the trees and they provide the oxygen therefore God exists. Because of Clark’s upbringing, this subject triggered an anxiety attack behind the counter of her own business.
Trying to end the conversation, Ms. Clark tells the ACCPD Officer she cannot debate or have religious conversations due to traumatizing experiences as a child, it was causing an anxiety attack.
With no regard, he told Ms. Clark how the world is full of evil and destruction, and directly says to Ms. Clark:
“It’s because like Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible when God struck down evil. It’s because all those homosexuals are going out there and doing this and that.”
The ACCPD Officer then stated he knew about an investigation report regarding issues in her marriage and was aware that she is not heterosexual. The conjecture with religious undertones made her extremely nervous and exasperated her panicking and PTSD. He initiated a conversation with Ms. Clark regarding her personal life, with prior knowledge about her, WHICH was unethical in itself.
Ms. Clark addressed the Officer by saying “So you came into my shop with knowledge about me and used your power of knowledge to intimidate me for your own sense of religious gain.”
Ms. Clark made the Officer leave, but she cried and continued with a panic attack throughout the day.
Ms. Clark did everything right, filing a complaint with Athens-Clarke County. She was interviewed for at least twenty minutes and to her knowledge the ACCPD Officer was interviewed for almost an hour. Ms. Clark still hasn’t listened to his interview because of PTSD around this situation. After two months, Ms. Clark heard nothing regarding her complaint.
Ms. Clark was not contacted about her complaint and when she inquired she was told that the case was closed. She did not know it was closed prior and no resolution or accountability for what happened was presented to her.
Ms. Clark felt like her complaint was not taken seriously and went to the media.
Only after Ms. Clark reached out to a reporter that she finally receive a call from the Captain. To date, the only resolution Ms. Clark received was the Captain telling her that he wished Officer had picked up his cake and just left. Ms. Clark told the Captain Epps that the officer needed to have his records looked into in order to know what action was needed. Ms. Clark believes he had clearly demonstrated discrimination, a possible hate crime, or a violation of policy.
Ms. Clark believes that the officer made the choice to intimidate her by using his power as an officer in uniform and fears he do it again to someone else.
In addition, Ms. Clark did attempt to make a complaint with the County Attorney’s Office in Athens but was denied. She was told she had waited too long to file any complaint.
As her last avenue, Ms. Clark reached out to Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement, the only organization she knows, left for resolution and accountability of what occurred in her bake shop that day.
Can you help Heather Clark?
Ms. Clark and the AADM are asking for community support to hold this officer accountable for his discriminatory actions and behavior, in addition to bringing awareness to this incident.
Heather Clark’s demands:
- I am asking for a proper investigation into my complaint. “I feel that the Captain’s response was insufficient and left me feeling unheard.”
- I am calling for more comprehensive sensitivity training to ensure that officers respectfully conduct themselves even when off-duty and especially when wearing their uniforms.
- I am asking for the public’s support in holding this officer accountable.
If you would like to assist with advocating for justice and accountability in my case, please get in touch with the AADM at admin@aadmovement.org or fill out the form below:
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