Hurricane Irma: After sheriff threatens arrests at shelters, will others take sex offenders or fugitives?
As Hurricane Irma barrels toward Florida, shelters are planning to open as the storm batters Central Florida — but for fugitives, sex offenders and sexual predators, finding a safe place to stay is a bit more complicated.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd captured headlines nationwide Wednesday when he threatened to arrest wanted residents seeking shelter from the storm, adding that deputies would be checking IDs at every shelter.
He also said sexual predators and sexual offenders wouldn’t be welcome.
Every county runs their shelters differently, though nearly every Central Florida county has a separate shelter for sexual predators and sex offenders.
Polk County is the only in the region that has said it doesn’ t have a facility set up. Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Carrie Horstman said in the past, the county hasn’ t been asked to open a shelter for sexual predators, so “we don’ t have any specific plans” in place for those individuals.
“I mean there are hotels and motels available, ” she said. “… A lot of people have been leaving the state, so they can also flee north.”
She said on Friday the county was advising those individuals to go to Pasco County, which opened a shelter at a high school for predators and offenders.
She also clarified one of the tweets sent Wednesday that claimed deputies would be checking IDs at shelter entrances, adding, “140 characters isn’ t enough” to give out all the information.
“We’ re not saying you have to have an ID to be admitted into a shelter, ” she said. “We’ re not going to be turning people away if they don’ t have IDs.”
Horstman said undocumented immigrants would not be affected by the policy.
Orange County officials have a list of sexual offenders and sexual predators at the entrance of shelters so officials can identify them and take them to a shelter that’s set up at the Orange County Jail.
“We don’ t want someone there that shouldn’ t be in the area of children, ” said Capt. Angelo Nieves. He would not say whether officials would be checking IDs but said their aim is to prevent “any issues or any problems.”
Seminole County said sex predators and sex offenders can seek shelter at the county’s courthouse at 101 Eslinger Way, Sanford.
Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Kim Cannaday said county workers will be checking people into the shelter but wouldn’ t be running their information for warrants. They also would not be checking immigration status.
“We just want to make sure everyone is safe, ” she said.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office encouraged residents, even if they have warrants, to seek shelter during the storm, adding they would handle situations on a case-by-case basis.
“We won’ t be actively looking to arrest people in shelters, ” said Capt. Jacob Ruiz. “Our purpose is to provide safety to everyone who comes into our county’s shelters.”
They have set up a separate shelter for registered sex offenders and sex predators at 320 N. Beaumont Ave, Kissimmee.
In Lake County, those going to shelters swipe in with their IDs, though an ID isn’ t required. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the county has a program that will check if a person if a sex offender or sex predator. Jones said the program doesn’ t check for warrants or backgrounds and officials would not be checking immigration status.
Officials have an area of the jail on 551 W. Main St. in Tavares for those individuals if they need shelter from the storm, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Fred Jones said.
“Our aim is to keep track of who is in shelters for safety reasons to make sure everyone is accounted for, ” he said. “Our goal is not to try and arrest people. We want everyone safe.”
Brevard County also has a designated shelter for sexual predators and offenders at the Titusville courthouse at 506 S. Palm Ave. in Titusville.
“As far as I know we will not be running warrant checks on persons entering the shelters, ” said Tod Goodyear, a spokesman for the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, adding checking immigration status was not planned.
The Florida Department of Corrections said they are offering shelter to those sexual offenders or sexual predators who are on probation or parole.
Those individuals can seek shelter at their nearest prison.
