TALLAHASSEE — Today the Florida Sheriffs Association Task Force released the results of Operation Predator, a strategic initiative that verified current locations and criminal backgrounds of the over 46,000 permanent sexual predator residents in the state.
During this operation, deputies verified information of Florida’s sexual predator and offenders, including their addresses, registration violations, number of related warrants served through arrests and number of ancillary arrests made through this enforcement operation.
In Okaloosa County, the operation resulted in 31 sexual predator address verifications, 291 sexual offender address verifications, one arrest or charge for registration violations, and 2 ancillary arrests.
FSATF President and Alachua County Sheriff Sadie Darnell said, “Enforcing sexual predator policies is a high priority in order for Florida law officials to keep families safe.”
These are the results from the two-week operation in February and March:
●1,409 total sexual predator address verifications
●9,119 total sexual offender address verifications
●19 total sexual predators arrested/charged for registration violation
●112 total sexual offenders arrested/charged for registration violations
●61 total related warrants served through arrests
●62 total ancillary arrests made through this operation enforcement
“Operation Predator allows our Sheriffs Offices to better predict dangers that could potentially harm our children and community members,” said Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri and Chair of FSA’s Task Force. “The data found informs the public of possible threats and helps better prepare our task force to defend Florida residents.”
Operation Predator contributes to two of the FSATF's business operations goals: to protect Florida’s youth and to promote the activities of sheriffs.
The operation has led to updated information being added to FDLE’s sexual offender and predator directory at offender.fdle.state.fl.us.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Florida Sheriffs Taskforce 2016 Sexual Predator Operation results