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Joe Vesey-Byrne
Sep 07, 2017

Picture:
(L) Getty Images, (R) Polk County Sheriffs Office
A sheriff in Florida, which is in the path of Hurricane Irma, has made plans to use the opportunity to catch criminals taking shelter from the extreme weather.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, tweeted on Wednesday that law enforcement would be checking IDs at shelters. He warned that 'sex offenders/predators' will not be allowed.
If you go to a shelter for #Irma, be advised: sworn LEOs will be at every shelter, checking IDs. Sex offenders/predators will not be allowed— Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd (@Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd) 1504708238
He added:
If you go to a shelter for #Irma and you have a warrant, we'll gladly escort you to the safe and secure shelter cal… https://t.co/DN6gr7S0wA— Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd (@Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd) 1504708273
We cannot and we will not have innocent children in a shelter with sexual offenders & predators. Period. https://t.co/DlhqjqFrkM— Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd (@Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd) 1504710993
The announcements came as the Category 5 Irma destroyed islands in the Caribbean, and headed towards Florida.
According to the New York Times, Polk County has more than 600,000 residents, and 47 shelters yet to be opened to the public.
Spokesperson for the sheriff, Carrie E. Hortsman told the Orlando Sentinel:
We hope it actually leads to more people turning themselves in.
She told the New York Times that is was 'normal protocol' to have an accountability log of persons in the shelter.
Hortsman also denied that the searches would concern immigration checks.
During Hurricane Harvey and 2012's Hurricane Isaac in Louisiana, the New York Times similarly drew attention to law enforcement tactics that could be interpreted as taking advantage of a natural disaster.
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