Soft-on-crime progressive reporters received an earful from Sheriff Grady Judd of Polk County, Florida, when he criticized agencies and policies that do little to curb violent crime.
During a Thursday news conference, Judd discussed the first-degree murder charges 19-year-old gang member La’Darion Chandler faces for allegedly shooting a 33-year-old rival gangster.
WTSP-TV, St. Petersburg, reported that Chandler shot John McGee in December, then bragged about it in a rap video.
The Western Journal noted the sheriff referenced the lyrics of the rap video during his encounter with reporters:
“Listen, that’s a bunch of hooey, that soft and cuddly feeling ‘we’re going to hug a thug, and if we give them, you know, another popsicle and an Icee and a day out at the park, they’re going to be good.’”
The sheriff continued: “Y’all need to wake up! These dudes are taking y’all for fools. These are hardcore gangsters, gang bangers. They’ll eat your ice cream on Saturday and shoot up their rivals on Saturday night and smile at you in the meantime.”
According to the Journal, Judd argued that “gangsters become hardened because there’s no effective parenting at home.”
Judd continued: “At the end of the day, it all starts with parenting at home, when they’re young, and keeping them away from this lifestyle.”
Arguing for the need for stiffer penalties, Judd said there are limits to what current laws can do to deter criminality. He supported his argument by noting that Chandler was on probation when he allegedly shot McGee.
Judd said: “This kind of person is paying no attention [to the law] because they want to be cool. They want to be rappers. They want to be a power player in their community.”
Judd argued for strong deterrents and early intervention: “So I tell everyone, you got the little-bitty dudes and dudettes at 4 and 5 and 6. Don’t let them watch this crap because that appears to be cool. It’s not cool.”
Judd criticized groups who argue against imprisoning violent youth due to their age.
“You have this wave of people … I call them do-gooders, because they really mean well, their heart’s in the right place, and they just think if we hug them closer, that that’s going to make everything better, and all this will go away,” the sheriff said.
Judd further argued that Chandler is a “glaring example of how the system failed to stem brazen criminality.”
The sheriff added: “This kid got the full measure of the system,” but current policies proved ineffective.
The sheriff concluded his interview by criticizing soft-on-crime leaders in Democrat-run cities such as Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, New Orleans and New York.
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