Protect and serve, what all facets of law enforcement are sworn to do. Yet, some officers will spend their time doing other things.
One particular officer — a member of the Washington Court House Police Department — has threatened my life and harassed me to the point where I have to hire personal security to protect me and my staff.
In the summer, I was traveling in the city and I noticed that a Washington Court House police cruiser was following me. I took deliberate turns to “lose” the cop but to no avail, he continued to follow me.
Scared for my life, I immediately parked my car.
Just a few short days later, the police officer, Derek Pfeifer made comments on Facebook where he offered to pay another person to physically assault me.
A person had posted on Facebook, “This fayette county advocate website is so typical Washington ch, I want to throat punch whoever runs it.”
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Pfeifer responded, “I’ll pay you… Please do it…,” and the person wrote, “I’ll make it happen,” and “I will bring back up…”
Scared for my life that a police officer — a person sworn to protect the public — would offer to pay money for someone to physically assault a member of the media, I immediately sought out ways to protect my safety and hold this police officer accountable.
After determining the best course of action, I was parked in downtown and walked to the Fayette County Sheriff’s office to file a criminal complaint and seek a restraining order against Pfeifer.
As I exited a building downtown a patrol car was sitting on the corner of the street being driven by Washington Court House Police Officer Matt Pfeifer, Derek’s cousin. One could only think that Matt Pfeifer was following me and waiting for me to leave because he followed me around the block as I walked to the Sheriff’s office. He parked in the bank next-door and watched me walk into the Sheriff’s office.
I filed a criminal complaint with the Sheriff’s office and I sought a protection order against Derek Pfeifer.
Just a few days after the court held a hearing regarding the protection order, I was parked in downtown and received a parking citation for allegedly not parking within the lines. The issuing officer? Derek Pfeifer.
A simple public records request will show that the city hasn’t issued this citation to any other motorist in the thirty days preceding the one issued to me. This, in my opinion, was clearly him targeting me, again.
Months later, he continues to harass me publicly on social media.
Recent postings made my Pfeifer read, “Everytime [sic] I see the Fayette Advocate in my newsfeed [sic] I puke a little bit. That trash doesn’t belong in my newsfeed [sic] dangit!!!”
Every time I see an officer who is suppose to be a role model harass a citizen — a member of the media — I get a pain in my stomach and feel like I AM going to puke. It’s sad that he has no morals or class.
“I’m sorry, but if you like fatty blogs, we can’t be friends,” another posting read.
Why is he so concerned about my weight? Shouldn’t he be more concerned about his behavior? He can mock my weight all he wishes, it’s freedom of speech, which I believe in. But he admits in another posting that he knows his mouth will get him in trouble.
If I was unhappy with my weight, I would lose it. But I’m not unhappy. I have my dream career, the love of my life, and friends and family who support me unconditionally. Again, if my weight made me unhappy, I would lose it. But why does it make Pfeifer so unhappy?
He has attacked Hispanics, gays, those overweight, those on government assistance, and even our children. I’m curious: how many minorities has he arrested simply because they’re minorities?
His comments about my weight don’t bother me. In fact, the purpose of this editorial isn’t because I’m upset, it’s to expose what kind of “officer” is strapped with a gun and allowed to roam free in our city.
Derek Myers is Editor-in-chief of Fayette Advocate