FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Friday, the Fort Pierce City Manager sent a letter to the Human Resources director for the city ordering an investigation into the Fort Pierce Police Chief, using an outside agency if necessary.

This came just one day after a Fort Pierce business man filed a complaint about Chief Diane Hobley-Burney.
Rick Reed said Chief Hobley-Burney has been harassing him for the last year but last week he hit his breaking point.

Last year, Chief Hobley-Burney was placed on a five day suspension and a 90 day probation after an investigation into harassment complaints from Reed.

Reed questioned, “how many towns have a police chief who was suspended without pay for 90 days?”
He said he’s constantly harassed by people in the city and from the police department.

“There’s another police officer following me here. I live with it every day and I’m tired of it,” said Reed. He continued, “I’ve become fearful and I’m tired of living like this.

Reed said all he’s ever done is care about the Fort Pierce community and the people in it, but is being punished for speaking his mind. Especially about the Demarcus Semer case, an officer involved shooting.

“We need our police department policing and protecting us and serving us and not chasing citizens down in retribution because they don’t like what we’ve said,” said Reed.

Last week, he said he hit his breaking point when he saw on camera what he said was the chief coming directly after him.

“I’m tired of being hunted,” said Reed. He continued, “Chief Hobley-Burney has been vindictive and relentless in her pursuit of me.

Reed said Monday evening he left a meeting at Fort Pierce City Hall and exchanged words with a woman in the lobby on his way out.

“I turned around to see what she wanted and I didn’t fully understand and I sort of waved at her and said oh okay and went on,” said Reed.

Reed said he didn’t think anything of it until several people at the meeting asked if he was okay, stating the chief ran out of the meeting shortly after he left.

So he requested the surveillance video from the lobby to see what happened. That video shows Reed leaving the meeting, exchanging words with a woman in the lobby and then leaving. The video then shows the woman going back inside the meeting room and then the woman and the police chief coming outside.

“When I saw that she was personally hunting me down that was it,” said Reed. He continued, “I’m not a criminal. I’m exhausted from this. I’m fearful. I don’t want to live like this anymore.”

Chief Hobley-Burney released a statement in regards to these allegations saying, “There have been previous interactions that were concerning regarding Rick Reed that have been documented. I am confident that this latest complaint will be resolved quickly.”

However, Reed said things will not be resolved quickly.

Reed’s attorney, Brad Culverhouse said he plans on filing more complaints and potentially lawsuits against others involved in Mr. Reed’s harassment. He said that includes around 20 Fort Pierce Police officers, the mayor, the city manager, the City of Fort Pierce and several others. He expects to have this done in the next couple of weeks.

Source: http://cbs12.com/news/local/im-tired-of-living-like-this-man-files-complaint-against-ft-pierce-police-chief