FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – When convicted felons are released from state prison, they must provide the Florida Department of Corrections with an address where they intend to live and then must register with the Sheriff’s Office in that county. But that’s it.
In Flagler County, however, Sheriff Rick Staly goes beyond that requirement.
Sex offenders require regular checks at their homes, but Staly checks on every felon released from prison.
Patrol deputies do the door knocks. “It’s just a residence check,” the deputies tell the felons. “You are not in any trouble.”
“We’re not trying to arrest, but if they commit another crime we’re going to arrest them,” Staly said. “I think it makes the community safer. Our crime is down over 50% since I’ve been sheriff.”
Newly released felons must register within 48 hours of their release at the Flagler County Jail Administration Building. The public service officer records fingerprints, personal information and pictures.
But Staly said he decided to do more than that.
“Quite candidly, we want them to know you’re back in our community, we know the crimes you’ve committed in the past, and we’re not going to tolerate it,” Staly said. “And if you violate the law you’re going to get arrested. If you go back to your old habits you’re going to get arrested.”
Staly said when there’s a crime, his detectives will cross-reference addresses to see if there’s a connection with a convict.
Flagler County Sheriff’s Detective James Crosbee said it’s a “proactive step.”
“And especially with some of their histories, they become somebody that we start looking at when we have issues in that neighborhood, especially related to the crime that they were in prison for,” Crosbee said. “It’s a good start. I’m not saying that they did it. But it certainly is a good starting point and I’d like to check it off the list.”
Staly said the felon address verifications also uncover when a felon is not living at the address where he or she registered, which occurs 15-20% of the time. That revelation initiates a search for the felon, depending on the crime for which the felon was convicted.
Last year, 28 felons were released from prison to Flagler County and 21 of them were rearrested, according to Staly.
“That says that the rehabilitation side of the correctional system is broken, and it also says that people won’t change their habits,” Staly said. “As law enforcement, we can’t make people change their ways but what we can do is encourage them, which is part of the knocking on doors. Also, we need it to monitor them and make sure they’re not committing more crimes and preying on this community.”
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: