Sheriff will not allow 'criminal element' into evacuation shelters during Hurricane Milton
Florida sheriff says arrests for outstanding warrants won't stop during Hurricane Milton
Florida's Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly says he will continue to arrest 'criminal element' who have outstanding warrants at evacuation centers.
A Florida sheriff went viral on X for declaring that criminals with outstanding warrants would be arrested at the entryway of Hurricane Milton evacuation shelters and sent to the county jail for immediate processing.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly announced during a briefing that he has no tolerance for relaxing law enforcement's activities against the "criminal element," even during a hurricane.
"Anyone that comes in will be checked to make sure they're not a fugitive and not a sex offender," he said at the briefing. "If you are a predator, you are not allowed in the [sic] shelter. If you are a designated a sex predator in a court of law, you'll need to go to… the county jail," he said.
He explained in an interview with Fox News Digital that people with outstanding warrants will be arrested at the evacuation shelter. Sex predators, even if they do not have outstanding warrants, should go directly to the county jail, where they will be housed behind bars, until after the storm.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly (Fox News Digital | Getty)
"Anybody that comes in is checked through a state national database to make sure that they are or not a sex predator or sex offender or a fugitive criminal element," he said.
"We want to be able to ensure that there's a safe environment, whether it's children with their parents, senior citizens, whoever, that we're not co-mingling them with inappropriate people. When it comes to sex predators, they are not allowed in our shelters that are open to the general public so they can go to our county jail and we will put them up in the fire of the jail. And when the storm is over, we'll unlock the door and push them out the door."
Florida sheriffs are known for their no-nonsense attitudes, particularly when it comes to criminals.
Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey has been considered "the most politically incorrect sheriff in the country" for his refusal to mince words when it comes to his dislike of criminals, whom he proudly refers to as "idiots" and "dirtbags."
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Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey called on Washington, D.C., to secure the border or to "get the hell out of the way" so that he and other sheriffs from across the country can do it themselves by enforcing laws. (Brevard County Sheriff's Office)
Ivey is vocal on social media about his programs such as "Wheel of Fugitive," where he spins a wheel to determine who will get arrested that day. As for those who disagree with him blasting criminals publicly? The sheriff says they should "shut up."
Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson encourages citizens to shoot to kill home invaders to save taxpayer money.
"If someone is breaking into your house, you're more than welcome to shoot. We prefer you to do that, actually," he said in 2022.
"If somebody gets killed during a home invasion, the odds of them re-offending are zero. And we like those odds." he said.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd speaks to Fox News Digital on tough-on-crime approach. (Fox News Digital)
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd infamously recommended shooting looters until they resemble "grated cheese."
"I’m highly recommending they blow you back out of the house with their guns," Judd said in 2020. "I would highly suggest that if a looter comes into your home, breaks into your home while you’re there, to steal stuff, that you take your gun and you shoot him. You shoot him so that he looks like grated cheese."
Hannah Grossman is a Reporter at Fox News Digital.
