Sheriff Craig Owens Sr, who heads the force in Cobb County, Georgia, has been accused of an “abuse of power” after officers raced to his aid at the fast food restaurant.

Body camera footage shows officers arriving on the scene as Owens leans out of his car window and says to them: “Hey, do me a favour.

“I need to get – all I need is the owner’s name of whoever owns this damn facility, or the manager.”

He then explains to officers that he was given the incorrect order and then denied a replacement, WKRC reports.

The sheriff adds: “I don’t need no damn money back no more. I just need to find out who owns this place so I can do an official complaint.”

A rival candidate in the county’s upcoming sheriff election said the sheriff’s conduct was inappropriate and officers’ use of lights and sirens had placed themselves and citizens “at risk”.

It was not immediately clear whether the sheriff eventually received his burger or a refund.