Image Credit: screenshot Columbia County Sheriff's Office 
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office in Florida is under fire after officer bodycam footage was released showing a pair of cops abusing the constitutional rights of a visually-impaired citizen.
The incident began on October 31, 2022, when James Hodge was stopped by a sheriff’s deputy while walking down the sidewalk.
When the officer asked Hodges what he was holding in his back pocket, he responded, “It’s a navigational aide. What’s the problem, are you a tyrant?”
Instead of apologizing to the man and informing him she thought he may have had a firearm in his pocket, the officer responded, “Ya, I am actually. What’s your date of birth?”
Don’t ever be like these cops. pic.twitter.com/pqEtuP3Psn
— Donut Operator
(@DonutOperator) November 6, 2022
Proving to be more knowledgeable on citizen’s rights than the deputy, Mr. Hodge told the officer, “I don’t have to give that… Do you have reasonable, articulated suspicion?”
The Columbia County Sheriff explained to Hodge that she suspected he was carrying a gun and told him, “You don’t have to be a dick to me.”
At this point, Hodge pulled his collapsable walking stick out of his pocket and held it for the officer to see, saying, “Well, you’re being one to me.”
The deputy then told the citizen he was being detained and had him talk with her supervisor who was also on the scene.
Once the situation was explained to him, the supervising officer defended his colleague and handcuffed Hodge for refusing to provide identification.
The citizen told the deputies, “You are not allowed to search me,” but they still rummaged through his pockets.
While they waited to illegally run the man’s license for outstanding warrants, the officers asked, “Are you legally blind?”
Hodge answered, “Yes,” and explained he was out and about to serve jury duty that morning.
The officer asked why he wasn’t using his walking stick and Hodge said he didn’t have to use it all the time.
Next, the first officer on the scene sarcastically asked Hodge, “Was that that hard?” and the citizen responded, “It’s gonna be, I want your name and badge number.”
While this request was well within Hodge’s rights, the supervising officer responded by telling the other deputy, “You know what? Put him in jail for resisting.”
The first sheriff’s deputy then took Hodge and put him in the back of her squad car despite footage clearly showing he never resisted.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement Monday, reading, “We are aware of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office body camera video involving the arrest of Mr. James Hodges on October 31, 2022. Sheriff Hunter is troubled by what he has seen in the video and the matter is being addressed. An administrative investigation was initiated on November 3, 2022 when the incident was brought to our attention. If policy violations are sustained at the conclusion of that investigation, appropriate action will be taken. While we understand the frustration and concern associated with this event, please know we are working to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.”
See the full bodycam video below: