As Fugitives Flee Storm, Florida Cop Looks For Them In Shelters

Washington: A Florida sheriff warned Wednesday that people who are wanted by the law will be arrested if they turn up at public shelters to take refuge from Hurricane Irma.

"If you go to a shelter for #Irma and you have a warrant we will gladly escort you to the safe and secure shelter called the Polk County Jail," Sheriff Grady Judd tweeted.

Judd said police will be on duty at shelters checking the identities of everyone who comes in.

Sexual offenders and sexual predators will not be admitted, he said.

"We cannot and we will not have innocent children in a shelter with sexual offenders & predators. Period," he said.

Polk County is in central Florida and includes the city of Lakeland.

Judd was assailed on social media, accused of taking advantage of the storm to make arrests, and putting at risk the lives of people whose offenses may not amount to more than traffic violations.

Hurricane Irma, a Category 5 storm that struck islands in the Caribbean on Wednesday, is expected to hit Florida later in the week.


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