In a series of tweets early Wednesday, Florida's Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd revealed that officers would be checking identification cards at designated shelters, adding any "sex offenders/predators will not be allowed."
— Polk County Sheriff (@PolkCoSheriff) September 6, 2017
Just one minute later, the Floridian dished out more details on his initiative. Turns out if the attending officer finds out an evacuee is wanted by the law, said evacuee will be given a one-way ticket to the Polk County Jail.
— Polk County Sheriff (@PolkCoSheriff) September 6, 2017
After another 45 minutes, Judd sent out two more tweets — the first saying "turn yourself in to the jail," and the second reaffirming his move so as to "not have innocent children in a shelter with sexual offenders & predators."
— Polk County Sheriff (@PolkCoSheriff) September 6, 2017
The tweets went viral, and even Democratic State Rep. Carlos Smith jumped in and denounced the outlandish comments.
— Rep. Carlos G Smith (@CarlosGSmith) September 7, 2017
Speaking to Sputnik Radio's Loud & Clear with Brian Becker, Ruth Beltran, from Tampa's Black Lives Matter chapter, said Judd should focus on helping the community instead of tossing out threats that will likely keep undocumented immigrants from seeking safety.
"It really is amazing that instead of focusing energy into securing everyone in the community and making sure the entire community as a whole survives," a frustrated Beltran said. "He is instead choosing to target communities of color and the immigrant community."
Beltran went on to note "the reality is that most sex offenders, if they are registered sex offenders, they don't have outstanding warrants."
"The motivation is just to discourage people from looking for help and to continue to fill up the jail, cause we know that is profiting to the county."
Though the sheriff, who has served Polk County for 13 years, hasn't dropped any new tweets on the matter, Beltran hopes "he finds some humanity in himself and makes this right for the people."
