Florida Sheriffs Used SWAT-Style Attack to Enforce Barbershop License
/Though he defended the actions of his deputies during a series of unorthodox inspections of barbershops in the Pine Hills area, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings (who is Black and that is why the media feel strong about this story) said today there was "no question we could have done things better."
In two sweeps on Aug. 21 and Sept. 17, and a smaller October operation, 35 people were arrested on a misdemeanor charge of "barbering without an active license," records show. Demings said if his agency could conduct the operations over again, deputies would issue orders to appear in court, akin to traffic citations, rather than take people to jail for cutting hair.
"I would prefer that we not make custodial arrests for these minor violations," he said.
Meanwhile, Demings and other officials questioned the accuracy of statements made by customers and barbers about the operations in an Orlando Sentinel story this week. Many had described the joint operations as overly theatrical raids, while deputies described their entry into the shops as "low-key."
Demings, along with Capt. Dave Ogden, Cpl. Keith Vidler, Lt. Ron Chapman and other deputies involved in the operations, met with reporters this afternoon to address the series of inspections of Pine Hills-area barbershops conducted by the Sheriff's Office in conjunction with a state inspection agency. [MORE]
