“Put them all in prison forever.”
That wasn’t said by an internet commenter. It was said by Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters while discussing people convicted of sex offenses following “Operation Checkmate.” According to News4JAX, the Sheriff stated: “I think you should put them all in prison forever. That’s just my opinion. Or, we get rid of them completely because my experience tells me that they can’t be cured. And if you get one, you interview them. If they’re honest with you, they’ll tell you they can’t be cured. They’re probably in the safest place that they can be.”
The Sheriff is not saying people should be punished according to the law. He’s not saying people should serve the sentence imposed by a judge. He’s saying an entire class of people should be imprisoned forever, regardless of what the law provides, because he personally believes they “can’t be cured.” That is not law enforcement. That is prejudice!
The reality is that decades of research have shown that people convicted of sex offenses are not a homogeneous group and that already low recidivism rates decline dramatically with time, age, and offense-free behavior. Most never reoffend at all. Yet here we have the chief law enforcement officer of one of Florida’s largest cities publicly declaring that every one of them belongs in prison for life and can’t be cured!
Statements like this should concern everyone — not just registrants and their families. We expect sheriffs to enforce the law fairly and objectively, not to substitute personal bias for facts and evidence. When a sheriff openly declares that an entire group of citizens is beyond redemption, it raises serious questions about whether those individuals can ever expect fair treatment from his agency.
Whether someone is popular or unpopular, sympathetic or unsympathetic, justice requires facts, evidence, and individual assessment. Not blanket assumptions and fear-driven rhetoric. A sheriff who believes an entire class of people should be imprisoned forever despite what the law says has forgotten his role. His job is to enforce the law, not rewrite it based on personal opinion. Someone like this should not be in office because he’s a danger to the community.
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I think that sheriff needs to be investigated. Is he saying that about sting operation victims?
Those that say things like that are often more likely to be what they are falsely accusing others of.
The sad part is that at one point, I backed this sheriff. I thought he was a fair elected official. The other sad part is he will most likely keep getting re elected for as long as he is allowed for things (stings) just like this, because “he’s protecting the community” from the most dangerous people of society **eye roll**. Obviously we are the most dangerous people of society, because we are the only “criminals” with a national public database. I would feel better if there was a national database for ALL crimes. I would love to know if my neighbor was a murderer, a thief, have one or multiple DUI’s, gets caught speeding, or even habitually jay walks. Lol
I can attest to this, even my family, which includes my 7 CHILDREN, are NOT protected by the law here in Jacksonville. I’ve had to call JSO several times about people saying lewd things to my children and trying to get them to go with them. One guy tried to call my 7 yo into the treeline across from me, and most recently, a guy came into my yard talking to the same child (7yo) who is now 9, trying to give him EarPods. When my 2 older kids were coming around the house, the guy threw the EarPods at my son and left. All interactions were either caught on camera or witnessed by multiple people. Every time, either JSO never showed up, didn’t file a report because “they saw no crime committed”, and they watched the surveillance videos NONE of the times. I get it, I’m not liked by anyone, but to CLAIM to protect children from predatory people, but not the children of a registrant, is to say the least, gross and hypocritical. I’ve been told a common phrase by officers, “there’s not much that can be done, you live in a high crime area, riddled with sex offenders, predators, hookers, drug dealers, addicts, and thieves.” They mix up the order sometimes, but the first 2 are ALWAYS said FIRST.
Be very careful in Alachua County Florida. Also, I have seen in the last 24 hours over 25 sex offender and predator violations for such things is not changing their phone numbers their vehicle information not giving information. Boats not registered trailers not registered. Seems like electro county is cracking down on sex offenders as I’m white just a warning be careful.
Consider this: The high sheriff swore an oath to protect and defend the US Constitution and the Florida Constitution. Nowhere do either of those documents say what this sheriff is proposing publicly. The man is not fit to serve because he is breaching his duty.
No wonder I have no interest in taking my family to Florida. That man must have mental issues and should not be in a power of authority.
Unfortunately that sherrif is trying to catch up withy Shady Grady Judd in both poltical stance and monetary amounts given to his agency via federal and state funds. Its a show to him is all. None of the news agencies ever ask why they use adult websites to catch people and if they are following proper procedures of the federal ICAC program.
You are right and may I ask where you charges at of Osceola by chance machiavelli think you have same arresting officer as me
no, I was charged and convicted in the Lions Den of Leon county