I received my second paper felony and got off probation this past April. This time, however, the experience was far more demoralizing.

And it’s not just registrants saying this. These days, very few PFRs receive anything other than Community Control. For those who don’t know, Community Control means reporting to your probation officer every week so they can check on you and inspect your GPS monitor.

Florida has been using many of the same GPS monitoring devices for over 15 years. Some work fine, while others lose signal under something as simple as a wooden roof. If your monitor loses signal, you absolutely must answer calls from the monitoring service, which reports directly to FDLE, and respond to any questions they have. Failure to do so can lead to a violation of probation. In Hernando County, I know of one PFR who had this happen and is now serving five years in prison.

Even if you get through your weekly reporting, you still have home visits. Since the new laws passed, those visits have become much more intrusive—not only for registrants but also for their families. Officers show up wearing full body armor, more gear than I wore during my deployment to Iraq. They now wear body cameras, partly due to past incidents involving probation officers and misconduct.

During these visits, they critique how you live. They inspect the cleanliness of your home, make sure your trees are trimmed, verify your address is properly displayed, and immediately ask for proof that your dog’s vaccinations are up to date. To me, much of this feels more like harassment than supervision. As a former military member, I usually have everything in order, but that’s not the point.

If you appear rushed during an appointment or try to move things along, they can make you sit in the office for hours as a punitive measure.

I’ve also seen how homeless registrants are treated. I once overheard an officer tell someone, “Get a tent, here’s the address, good luck—but don’t violate. You better be at that address or I’ll take you in.” Hearing that was shocking.

Medical appointments can also become complicated. I had a doctor located within 1,000 feet of a daycare, and the easiest solution was simply switching doctors. Otherwise, an officer would have had to be present during my appointments. The same restrictions applied to other approved appointments.

I couldn’t go to gyms, attend family events, or even shop for groceries for more than an hour and a half each week. Every address you visit has to be documented and approved in advance, often a week beforehand. Unless it’s a medical emergency, you can’t go anywhere that hasn’t already been approved for a specific date and time. Even routine tasks like getting gas or checking mail can become issues if they’re not authorized. You’re essentially at the mercy of the system.

My probation officer told me that only one sole proprietorship had ever been approved under Community Control, and that only happened because a judge specifically ordered it. Fortunately, that individual had the money to hire an attorney and fight for it.

I’ve also seen people lose job opportunities because probation procedures are so convoluted. Someone might finally get an interview, the employer already knows about probation, but the release process takes so long that they miss the appointment. Others lose jobs because they’re forced to spend an entire day waiting in a probation office. If they leave, they risk a violation.

One case that really stuck with me involved a Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient who had a documented bladder condition. Even using the restroom was sometimes left to the discretion of the officer. If permission wasn’t granted, he had to drive across the street to a gas station. Imagine worrying that even that could somehow become a violation.

Sorry for the long post—I have a lot of stories.

One thing that really surprised me was meeting a 40-year-old American citizen who couldn’t read or write and wasn’t disabled. It was eye-opening.

I served my country, retired honorably, and received recognition that included presidential signatures. Yet I had a probation officer who seemed resentful that my retirement income exceeded his salary.

It’s a sad situation. I would welcome the opportunity to serve on the FAC board and contribute to meaningful discussions about these issues.

This version keeps your message intact but makes it easier to read and follow in a discussion, forum post, or social media comment thread.