Sheriff Mike Breedlove Accused Of Violating Privacy Laws

0
3821

Cheatham County Sheriff Mike Breedlove accused of breaking HIPAA Privacy Laws after a recent post published on the Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office official Facebook Page on Friday, December 2, 2016.  View the post by Sheriff Breedlove https://www.facebook.com/mike.breedlove.146lst=100000640026217%3A100006994774055%3A1481306547.

Thursday, December 8, almost a week after the report was posted by Breedlove, Channel 5 News interviewed Linda Pinkerton Morris about the altercation, referenced in the Sheriff’s weekly Facebook report, that took place near Valley View Road involving her ex-husband. The interview with Morris can be watched at http://www.newschannel5.com/news/do-sheriffs-office-posts-break-medical-records-privacy-laws.  

According to Morris law enforcement was called to break up the altercation. The week following the incident Breedlove shared his weekly report referencing two individuals as “hooligans transferring and slinging hepatitis hemoglobin”.  The following is the section of the post questioned.

Your Deputies show up when blood is spilled and spattered. Such was the case on and the fight was still on between both aggressors…The transference of hazardly slung hepatitis hemoglobin by hooligans during a “Punch and Judy” gathering is not the fun part of the job. We don’t like getting their drug induced diseases…but, will swear to and swear a little while protecting them, all the same. Breedlove’s report excluded the location and the names of whom he was referring in the posted text.  After reading the sheriff’s report Morris questioned whether or not he’d broken the law.   -section of facebook post by Sheriff Mike Breedlove on December 2, 2016.

Morris shared with Channel 5 News her ex-husband does have hepatitis.  Since the Sheriff’s weekly report was posted she and her family have been question if they too have hepatitis. According to Morris, even eliminating her ex-husband’s name, people in the community still figured it out.Breedlove explained to Channel 5 News, he’d done nothing wrong and hadn’t violated any privacy laws.

“People are calling my children, asking if they have hepatitis, if I have hepatitis, and it’s not fair to us,” Morris stated in the interview with Channel 5 News.

The Facebook posts, often comically written, draws people to read the reports week after week, not necessarily to learn of the malicious activity but to have a chuckle at some of the antics. Friday, December 9, 2016.   Cheatham County Sheriff’s Department official Facebook page had 4,544 ‘friends’ or followers and the post in question had 234 likes, 20 people had shared the post and 34 people had left comments, all in appreciation of the county’s sheriff’s department and leadership.   The following are a few of the comments: 

“You and your officers are a God send. You are so appreciated.”

“Thanks for another great week in our great county.”

“Always on the job to Serve and Protect, and we Really Appreciate It. Thank you Cheatham County Sheriff’s Department!”

Citizens of Cheatham County have learned, since Breedlove was elected as Sheriff in 2014, he expects people to uphold the law, ‘toe the line’, so to speak. He’s worked to communicate with his residents in a creative manner to keep them wanting to read the reports each week to stay informed.  The majority enjoy but some feel victimized because their behaviors led law enforcement to get involved. He told the news reporter Thursday, he hoped the posted reports made people think twice before committing crimes.  

Reading Breedlove’s reports provided insight into the endless duties of law enforcement officers, what they see, do, and go through each week. Catching speeders who think curvy back roads are for racing, helping stranded motorist with car trouble and directing school traffic are all in a days work. Peculiar circumstances, as many have learned from Breedlove’s weekly reports, include chasing escaped farm animals such as pot belly pigs, cows, horses and goats keeping motorist safe by keeping the animals out of the roadways until their owners are found. Readers can’t help but to chuckle when the sheriff shares a deputy was challenged by the neighbors pot belly pig to a race, although this may be comical, over the last several years law enforcement officer’s have been scrutinized over their job choice. Families are losing their loved ones because they chose the profession to sport the blue uniform as acknowledgement to serve and protect.  Breedlove, through his posts, highlights the duties of the department’s officers, giving recognition for their courageous efforts, acknowledging their importance to the community.   

Residents of Cheatham County will make mistakes, get in trouble and be reprimanded, which could led one to end up in the Sheriff’s weekly report.  in my personal opinion, and you’ll find I won’t state my personal opinion often, I see Sheriff Breedlove’s weekly posts as examples, teaching Cheatham County residents to strive and do better than the day before because some mistakes render unavoidable consequences.  Nevertheless, we all make mistakes, some more than others, some intentional, regretted later and some unintentionally.  There’s a lesson with every mistake though and Cheatham County is a great community, so join me each day to forgive quickly, love your neighbor and support the men in blue!  

To learn more about Cheatham County Sheriff’s Department, deputies and Sheriff Mike Breedlove visit the sheriff departments website at http://cheathamcountysheriff.net.  

-Tonya Steele

(c) 2016 Copyright 

 

Cheatham County Sheriffs Office
Breedlove was elected Sheriff of Cheatham County in 2014. Prior to being the county’s sheriff he had retired from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation as a Special Agent/Criminal Investigator. He was employed by the TBI from 1984-2014 and prior to his time with the TBI he was a Metropolitan Nashville Police Officer from 1980-1984. The sheriff has an extensive background in the area of law and criminal activity, knowledgeable of the rights and wrongs of the judicial system.http://http//.cheathamcountysheriff.net