PALATKA, Fla. — A sheriff's office in Florida is going viral for the way it is handling schools threats. The Volusia County Sheriff's Office is now posting photos and videos of the students accused of making threats. The Putnam County Sheriff's Office is making similar posts.
Three airsoft guns were recovered from the home of an 11-year-old who was arrested Monday night for making a threat against the Putnam County Academy of Arts and Sciences. Sheriff Gator DeLoach said the guns would have looked real if the child brought them to school.
“In a split second decision, if we have a youth resource deputy or a school guardian who encounters one of these, I can tell you with almost certainty they are going to return fire," DeLoach explained.
A 13-year-old was also arrested Monday after making a threat at another school. DeLoach joined other Florida sheriffs by posting the photos their mugshots on Facebook.
"This is a very real, very serious crime these juveniles are doing. We’ve warned them... they didn’t head my warnings. The fact of the matter is, this is a second degree felony to make a written statement like this," DeLoach said.
Usually, names and faces of juveniles are not considered public record. Former prosecutor Curtis Fallgatter said Florida law allows these law enforcement agencies to post the pictures and videos of the kids since they are being charged with felonies.
"The Florida Statute does allow an exception for juveniles charged with crimes that would be a felony if they were an adult," Fallgatter explained.
Fallgatter also explained the families of these children would not have grounds to file a lawsuit against the agency since their child's names would be considered public record.
"Once it's public and makes it on to the internet and other domains...it's pretty hard to put the lid back on that box," Fallgatter said.
Although many call this public embarrassment or public shaming, Sheriff DeLoach does not see it that way. He believes people living in Putnam County have a right to know who is making these threats, and he is calling on parents to step up.
"Parents have got to start supervising their children, they’ve got to start taking some accountability and being responsible," DeLoach said.
The two juveniles arrested in Putnam County are now in the custody of the Dept. of Juvenile Justice.