When political and social unrest spirals out of control, looters resort to targeting small businesses and residential homes. However, one sheriff is encouraging citizens to handle looters in a very blunt manner.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd is no stranger to controversy regarding his frank and uncompromising view of law enforcement. In fact, he has often made headlines for the brash yet sincere methods in which he instructs citizens in his county to protect themselves and their property when threatened by criminal mischief.
In the hopes of making Florida less appealing to thieves, Sheriff Judd warned residents not to place all their faith in the police, as officers may not be able to respond in time to prevent damage to persons and property. Instead, he urged law-abiding citizens not only to be their own saviors but also to contribute to society by taking out looters permanently.
During an interview on Fox & Friends, Sheriff Judd insisted that, regardless of the political or environmental state of the region, Floridians have the right to use lethal force while defending their lives and property from looters.
“People have a right to be safe in their homes,” Judd said. “They have a right for their property to be safe even when part of their home may be torn away. And these looters, that’s unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable.”
Sheriff Judd didn’t mince words when expressing how citizens should respond whenever thieves break into their homes.
“I would highly suggest that if a looter breaks into your home, comes into your home while you’re there to steal stuff, that you take your gun and you shoot him, you shoot him so that he looks like grated cheese. Because you know what? That’s one looter that won’t break into anyone else’s home and take advantage of them when they’re the most vulnerable and the most weak.”
Just in case anyone wasn’t clear concerning his suggestion, the straightforward sheriff reiterated that homeowners should kill intruders so as to ensure they never loot again.
“We’re all gonna come together,” he explained. “The community is gonna come together and if there are looters that think they’re gonna take care of these people, they may be breaking in, but they should be carried out in a pine box because that is unacceptable, that cuts against all laws and all reality.”
Sheriff Judd has been consistent in his advice to homeowners when it comes to criminals taking advantage of community suffering. Additionally, he has repeatedly warned would-be criminals not to mess with citizens in his county.
“I would tell them, if you value your life, they probably shouldn’t do that in Polk County. Because the people of Polk County like guns, they have guns, I encourage them to own guns, and they’re going to be in their homes tonight with their guns loaded,” Sheriff Judd told reporters during a news briefing. “And if you try to break into their homes to steal, to set fires, I’m highly recommending they blow you back out of the house with their guns. So, leave the community alone.”
As a veteran in law enforcement, Sheriff Judd has seen the difference in outcomes for citizens who are well-armed and trained versus those who are ill-equipped and unprepared. As the no-nonsense sheriff understands, a firearm in the hands of a law-abiding citizen can mean the difference between life and death.
A community that is likely to invoke its Second Amendment rights is a deterrent to criminals. Of course, having a sheriff who tells criminals they’re going to look like “grated cheese” and be “carried out in a pine box” is helpful as well.
