Florida Sheriff Offers ‘Shelter’ To Criminals During Irma

LAKELAND, FL — As Polk County prepares to open its shelter doors bright and early Saturday morning for folks fleeing Hurricane Irma’s wrath, Sheriff Grady Judd has a message for evacuees. “If you go to a shelter for Irma and you have a warrant, we’ll gladly escort you to the safe and secure shelter called the Polk County Jail.”

The often-outspoken Judd took to Twitter earlier this week to share that message. He also said sworn law enforcement officers will be at every shelter to check identifications. People classified as sex offenders or sexual predators are also not welcome, he noted on Twitter. (For more hurricane news or local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Lakeland Patch, and click here to find your local Florida Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

“We cannot and we will not have innocent children in a shelter with sexual offenders and predators,” Judd wrote. “Period.”

Judd’s tweets about shelter rules kicked up quite a controversy on Twitter with some people backing the sheriff’s play while others were outraged.

“But denying sex offenders shelter during a hurricane is inhumane,” read one response.

“I’m glad this sheriff is taking action,” another said.

The ACLU of Florida also took issue with Judd’s statements. The organization took to Facebook to share its response, saying most people with warrants are charged with non-violent, low-level offenses, posing no risk to others.

“Sheriff Judd’s threatening tweets send the message that these individuals must choose between facing a natural disaster without aid and shelter or going to jail over things like unpaid traffic tickets,” the ACLU’s statement said. “This will endanger not only the lives of those who avoid shelters, but also the lives of the first responders under Sheriff Judd’s charge who will have to rescue the people he just told to stay in harm’s way.”

Like Lakeland Patch on Facebook and keep reading below:

The sheriff’s office took to its Facebook page to explain its stance and the process of checking into a county shelter:

Controversy or not, Polk County’s shelters open at 7 a.m. Saturday morning as Hurricane Irma moves into the region. By 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 8, Irma had lost some, but not much of her punch. The beast that tore through the Caribbean, leaving at least 10 people dead in her wake, had downgraded to a strong Category 4 storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 150 mph. Irma was located about 450 miles southeast of Miami, moving west-northwest at 16 mph.

• Also see: Polk County Adjusts Shelter List Ahead Of Irma

On its current path, Irma is expected to clear the northern Cuban coastline by Saturday and make its way up the center of the state in the early morning hours Monday. Forecasters say Irma’s hurricane-force winds extend out 70 miles from the center while tropical storm-force winds reach out 185 miles. Although downgraded, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center say Irma remains an “extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane.”

At the National Weather Service’s Tampa Bay office in Ruskin, forecasters say Irma’s effects are likely to be felt in the region starting Saturday night. Tropical storm conditions are possible in the overnight hours Saturday while hurricane conditions are expected throughout the day Sunday and into Monday.

• Also see: Hurricane Irma: Tampa Bay Area Under Watch

The main window of concern for Hurricane Irma impacts across west central and southwest Florida is Sunday through Monday afternoon,” service forecasters wrote in Friday morning’s local hurricane statement. Forecasters are urging residents to prepare for damaging winds, storm surge and the possibility of flooding rain.

“Moderate risk of flooding due to heavy rainfall may prompt several evacuations and rescues,” the agency wrote. Tornadoes are also a concern as Irma makes her way through. People who have been asked to evacuate should do so and “stick to prescribed evacuation routes.”

Watch: More information on the Polk shelter controversy

Photo via the Polk County Sheriff's Office Facebook page