This morning, January 17, 2018, the following note was sent by the Hearings Officer to Robert Babcock, attorney for the defendant: “With the withdrawal of the objection by the County, the request for a continuance is granted.” Just the day before, County Commissioner Meieran’s office claimed that the county’s hands were tied, reporting the MCAS and County Attorney’s claim that “the County does not have authority to delay a hearing as the Hearings Officer is not a County employee.” The county’s defensive claim that it had no authority to postpone a case was egregiously false. Jackie Rose, Director of MCAS, and Kim Peoples, Director of Community Services, combined their powers to attempt to crush a psychologically fragile human being. They did so through a double wall of deception, first claiming they had no authority over the hearings officer and then proving that their arbitrary whim controlled the result. The hearings process has always been biased in the county’s favor. MCAS chooses which volunteer will serve, limiting those chosen to a very few with proven records of support - rubber stamps for MCAS. They buy the outcome. One senior officer once summarized that the hearings were only intended to support the agency’s will. The people lose. A postponement is an only a county strategic retreat: “I’ll get you later.” The hearings officer’s role is to determine if the events occurred and to also decide if alternatives short of death are possible. But second duty is avoided by closing eyes to reality and ordering a “surrender” to the agency’s “discretion.” This cannot be allowed to continue. Repeated dishonest and calculated efforts by Director Jackie Rose and her immediate Supervisor, Kim Peoples, to abuse their authority. They are not fit for public service and should be removed from office.