“Sex offenders” barred from Florida shelters
News Nation states, “Sex offenders in one Florida county are being told they cannot enter shelters during Hurricane Milton and must stay at the local jail instead.”
No surprise to most of us, this was in Flagler County where Rick Staly is the sheriff. Staly said that these people, who are forced to be classified as sexual predators, have probably seen a jail before.
Certain areas of Flagler County had a mandatory evacuation order, thereby issuing an order for some people to go straight to jail.
Political commentator Rogan O’Handley reacted to the news, saying, “Welcome to Florida. If you’re a convicted sex offender, you aren’t allowed in our hurricane shelters. You can spend the night in the county jail.”
Some counties, such as Marion and Pinellas, did provide shelters for Persons Forced to Register.
A few years ago, the Virginia state legislative body passed a law that would not allow people on the registry to enter a shelter during a disaster. The governor vetoed the bill saying, “…it is unconscionable that people could be turned away from shelters during hurricanes, flash floods or other emergencies.”
It is unconscionable what the state of Florida is allowing.
Well here goes nothing again with my comment. Who’s an offender or do we all offend in thought and deed – even the authorities. No wonder it is is unconstitutional and it goes against principal. And yes there is a principal above all mankind if you really would like to know. This shelter issue is a crisis in and of itself. First the authorities are blacklisting those caught up in this registry issue, than they say ….. because we can, so who’s giving who shelter during a hurricane or does one have to climb to a mountain and I don’t know of hardly any mountains in Florida..
I’ll personally die alone in a field beofre I ever chek into a jail voluenterly. No way I’ll ever go back into a jail alive. I’ll take my chances with a hurricane first.
Same thing here in Brevard County. Only shelter available for any registered offender, regardless of classification, is the County Jail in Sharpes.
The jail is located in the central-northern portion of the county in an isolated area. People in the southern portions are left with a 40-50 mile travel distance with minimal, if any, transportation to the jail. Folks in the northern portions of the county can face up to 30 miles of travel required.
I offered my home for any offenders that didn’t have shelter. My probation officer thanked me for my offer, saying that some offenders would’ve had to change their registered address even though the stay would’ve been for maybe a day at most. Crazy
That was very thoughtful and kind of you. Personally however, I’d never stay with anyone who called me an “offender”. That is defective thinking.
We should use this opportunity to encourage all PFRs to remain in constant contact with other PFRs. We should network always. If you plan to pay someone to do some work you need done, look for a PFR first. I try to do that for everything which I need. Further, I never pay any person or company any non-trivial amount without first vetting them to ensure that they aren’t [moderated].
I thought this was all of florida as when hurricane season starts Polk county sheriff’s office comes out with the paper stating that. We can’t stay in a shelter for such events, we can seek other forms of shelter as long as it meets all the requirements and legal standards or we can go book ourselves into jail. Essentially why die in place or voluntary to get locked up. This country violates not just American rights but also human rights nonstop.
Robert look under the resource tab and select emergency
Osceola for first time ever that i recall said people had to go to court house.
well what if shelter is not at a school and at a county owned building nect to fire station and a park (i know it used to be when you were convicted about parks or local laws but there is no local law thus how can they arrest a pfr for going to a shelter, is there any law?
I can only presume Rick Staley is an Athiest because I highly doubt he treats others the way he wishes to be treated. I can only presume he is an idiot as the law he is sworn to uphold does not define all sex offenders as predators. Another politician who uses an emotional hot button topic to stay elected.