Last week a Florida sheriff issued a stern warning to looters, vandals, and rioters looking to prey upon residents in Polk County.
“I would tell them, if you value your life, you probably shouldn’t do that in Polk County,” said Sheriff Grady Judd at a news conference, according to WWLP.
“I encourage them [law-abiding citizens] to own guns, and they’re going to be inside their homes tonight with their guns loaded. And if you try to break into their homes tonight and try to steal, to set fires, I’m highly recommending they blow you back out of the house with their guns,” Judd added.
Judd was responding to rumors on social media that agitators were going to descend on the Lakeland community to cause trouble.
The sheriff also noted that law enforcement would do its part to keep the public safe.
“But Minneapolis is not Polk County,” he explained. “And I want to say unequivocally that the community here is unbelievable … But please understand, that if you come here to riot, to loot, to injure people, we’re going to lock you up in the county jail.”
SEE ALSO: Chicago Mayor to Gun Owners: ‘Do Not Take Matters Into Your Own Hands. Call the Police’
While some municipal leaders have encouraged citizens to take up arms to defend themselves and their families, others have done the exact opposite.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, for example, last week told gun owners to put their faith in the city’s police department should they be confronted by criminals.
“Obviously we’re aware of the fact that Illinois is a concealed carry state,” Lightfoot said. “Do not take matters into your own hands. Call the police.
“We’ve seen tragedy happen in this country, and recently, when people felt like they could take matters into their own hands. … Let me remind you of the killing of Mr. [Ahamud] Arbery. Do not pick up arms and try to be the police. If there’s a problem, call 911. We will respond. But I urge people to show restraint and do not take matters into your own hands,” she continued.
As GunsAmerica previously reported, during the intense rioting that took place last weekend cops in Chicago were overwhelmed with service calls, fielding 65,000 calls on Sunday alone.
Lightfoot admitted that even with a police force “four times” the size of the current department, the city wouldn’t have been able to keep up with the calls.
You know, as it pertains to wealth inequality, people often say there are two Americas comprising of haves and have-nots. But maybe that is also true for 2A rights.
On one hand, we have those who have a right to keep and bear arms that is respected and embraced by authority and, on the other, we have those who do not have a celebrated right to keep and bear arms because it is undermined by the powers that be at every turn.
Regardless of one’s politics, the question everyone should be asking themselves during these trying times is which America do you want to live in? One where you’re encouraged to protect yourself, your family and your property or one where you’re told to be a victim?
In Oklahoma, and in a few other states, Second Amendment to the U S Constitution is all we need, if 21 or over. to be armed with self protection in the form of firearm. Wake up up you LIBERAL states and protect your selves !!! The Police cant be everywhere at once!
I am so thankful to live in a state like Oklahoma were our elected officials believe that the SECOND AMENDMENT is the only law needed for ordinary citizens to “bear firearms.” The Constitution (including the Second Amendment) is all the “law” we need.
Watch it Judd… I agree with ya BUT if you shoot them or hurt them they will come in large numbers and loot and burn your town down. I can’t imagine how a drunk passed out in Wendy’s drive through could be caught by police found to be drunk escape from police take his taser shoot it at him, and they say poor guy got shot.Then they FIRE the cop and burn down the Wendy’s.?????I don’t get it …
I remember a few years back when a fella was at home sleeping upstairs and was awakened by banging around downstairs. He knew that he was alone, should have been no one downstairs so he went downstairs armed to protect himself. When he got there he was met by FIVE young intruders that had broken in and when they saw him at least one went at him armed with a knife, and he shot and killed the intruder, a recent high school graduate. That’s the age of all five intruders. The ones remaining were arrested and charged with murder. In Indiana if you are with a person committing a felony then you are considered just as guilty in whatever happens…they were all charged with murder and all convicted. Of course the liberals came to their defense “Not right they were charged with murder”, and the dead invader was “…such a nice young man”. They all got something like 30+ years in prison each. The home owner victim wasn’t charged.
I have this theory. If an invader, intruder, predator breaks into someone’s home, chances are they aren’t bringing the victim a cake or pie and welcoming them to the neighborhood and deserve whatever they get.
They are not there to ask you for the next dance.
John Mercurio
June 11, 2020
As I lay in bed tonight and hear all the “defund the police talk” can’t help but think of that day on 9/11/01 and how quickly we forget. Just remember this day and remember Al Sharpton wasn’t running into that burning building, LeBron James wasn’t carrying injured people to safety, and I dont remember seeing any members of BLM or Antifa digging through the thousands of lbs of rubble to get to people that were literally being buried alive. What I do remember is members of NYPD running towards the buildings as thousands ran away. I couldn’t tell you the color of their skin because that didn’t matter. Its people helping people.
Very well put. I remember watching that and it wasn’t a bunch of Liberal social warriors risking their lives, it was cops and first responders.
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. After 10 or 20 get killed by police or honest citizens THEN AND ONLY THEN WILL THEY STOP. Right now maybe 1 percent of SERIOUS RIOTERS OR LOOTERS HAVE BEEN PUNISHED, MAYBE. Its the only thing these jackasses can understand.
A thug is a thug, break in my home I will defend my family and my property to the full extent of the Law. I will use Deadly Force if I have to.
I’m pretty sure that short statement just got him reelected.
I don’t trust these cops or sheriffs any further than I can throw them. Just because he says “law-abiding” gun owners SHOULD do this doesn’t mean they won’t be prosecuted if they do. The sheriff might not file charges, but the DA can. Besides that, just because a sheriff or cop gets ONE thing right, it doesn’t make up for all of the wrong that they do on a daily basis against the citizens. The majority of driving “regulations and county/city regulations are unconstitutional as substantiated by numerous SCOTUS decisions, yet these thugs still enforce them. The income tax, both federal and state, were also established as unconstitutional by the SCOTUS, yet these thugs enforce IRS actions when told to, like government theft of property. Remember that ignorance of the law is no excuse, that goes for these thugs too!
I’m not for defunding entire police/sheriff forces, but I am for defunding anything that they do that doesn’t have to do with an actual crime, and by definition a crime must have a victim. I am also for defunding the majority of all governments because they have far exceeded their authority and their job description!
We don’t need a nanny state ticketing people for rolling though a stop sign, or exceeding the speed limit by 8 MPH, especially when the cops do it regularly without consequence. We don’t need cops enforcing an arbitrary code about the height of your grass or the number of rabbits you own. Cops have TWO priorities 1) responding to crimes and 2) filing reports!
Well, Rattlerjake, you do an excellent job of presenting concepts that reenforce the definite need for a fully functional police organization. You probably think the no helmet motorcycle law is really great, and that breaking the law is okay if you don’t get caught. Thank you, but those are exactly the kind of anarchistic ideas that lead to mayhem. I for one have seen enough of that in this world, and do not want to live with it.
Rattlerjake, I suggest you do some research on the Sheriff in this article. For me, being born and raised in Florida now living in CO. I miss this guy. He is not afraid of outside public opinion and to my knowledge has been fair and just. With today’s political and social ideology this guy is just right out of the past. He has promoted “Law Abiding Citizens” of his county to protect them selves and their property ever since he has been there. His county is very close to Tampa which is not at all “safe” but the criminals know where they don’t need to show up. I remember hearing him reply to one incident where a criminal had fired at his deputies and tried to evade them in the woods. The deputies shot over 90 rounds eventually killing the suspect. The media reported the number of shots fired by the deputies and asked if him if that was excessive. When he heard the number is response was “Is that all?”
The majority of driving “regulations and county/city regulations are unconstitutional as substantiated by numerous SCOTUS decisions, yet these thugs still enforce them. The income tax, both federal and state, were also established as unconstitutional by the SCOTUS, yet these thugs enforce IRS actions when told to, like government theft of property. Remember that ignorance of the law is no excuse, that goes for these thugs too!
Once I read the portion of your comment i realized you were simply a whacked out nutjob! You are definitely in need of psychiatric help. Hopefully your family has you committed to a mental institution for your own good.
Spoken a true brain dead liberal.
What “driving regulations” would this guy change ??
Mayor Lightfoot has her protection standing next to her, so she’s ok. The rest of Chicago will have to wait while they’re being clubbed to death. When 911 finally answers, just tell them where to find your stripped, beaten, bloodied, body. Wake up Chicago. All the criminals have guns, you should too.
Sheriff Judd is unfortunately one of a kind. He says what he believes in and doesn’t care who hears or reports it. The Citizens of Polk County love him and the bad guys and criminals hate him. The Sheriff always conforms to the law and always sides with the good guys. Gotta love him.
We need a Sheriff like Mr Judd in Los Angeles County California. Sheriff Villanueva is an absolute joke.
Outstanding!
“Lightfoot admitted that even with a police force “four times” the size of the current department, the city wouldn’t have been able to keep up with the calls.”
If this is the case, why does Lightfoot insult our intelligence by suggesting that we don’t “take matters into our own hands,” and “try to be the police?” If the Police aren’t there to protect law-abiding citizens when punks kick in the front door at 3:00 AM, and calling the Police won’t produce them because they are overwhelmed (as stated by Lightfoot), what does Mayor Lightfoot expect citizens to do….say “Please?”
Lightfoot lives in a world of fantasy, where night is day, and day is night. As for me, punks, anarchists or anyone else who dares to invade my home or property will be dealt with IMMEDIATELY with overwhelming firepower in order to stop the threat if and when the Police fail to show. Are you listening, BLM and Antifa?
Come on man, just grab your shotgun and shoot him in the leg. Said no one ever.
If I lived in his county he would have my vote every election day. However, I’m living in commifornia where a law abiding citizen is being systematically stripped of their RIGHT to defend their family, themselves and/or their property. It is “laws?” like those in commifornia that are driving us away from this state. We can no longer live in a place where the criminal has police protection buy the victim does not! How insane can liberals get before some thread of brain power starts to take hold and reverse their stupidity.
My college fraternity brother who now lives in SanFrancisco says, the Liberals have “just RUINED this state as this WAS a wonderful place (California) to live in. In Oklahoma we believe that the Second Amendment is the ONLY law needed to own a gun for self protection.
“Lightfoot, for example, last week told gun owners to put their faith in the city’s police department should they be confronted by criminals.” As if she actually thinks the police will be there within seconds. That is the thinking that gets the wrong people killed.
I am sorry for the underprivileged but there are enough opportunity in this country for anyone to rise above your current situation if you want it bad enough some chose the so-called easy way and when it doesn’t work it is societies fault skin color has nothing to do with it. So what ever your reason don’t come after whAt I have worked for because I will defend it at all cost.
I’m tired of people whining about opportunity. I grew up very poor in a very large family. At one time we lived in a one room house with a dirt floor. A lot of times we had very little if anything to eat. But we grew up with values and none of us are in that situation now. We didn’t ask for handouts we scratched and clawed for what we are now. I will defend my family and my country against all enemies foreign and DOMESTIC as my oath stated.
Well said, Clifford! I too grew up in a neighborhood where we did not have excess. I too had to go to school, go to college and worked very hard to get where I am today. Even when I was at poverty level, I didn’t receive any handouts. I had to go split wood and work extra jobs to make ends meet.
Very well put . And very true .
Basically we are a product of our own bad choices. How many people dont finish high school, and yet expect to get a good job.
Agreed. One of the biggest deterrents is knowing the victim is NOT going to be a victim.
Got to love Grady Judge!, A reporter once asked him why were there so many bullets in a dead criminal who was actively shooting at police, Judge’s answer was we ran out of bullets
We need more law enforcement like this guy! 👍🏼
Great advice. Escambia County Florida has many Active duty military and military retirees, trained and able to protect and serve our nation and their homes.
Absolutely agreed!!!!!!!! I have spoke very heavy on this. I feel everyone’s life matters & we need to come together as one, not loot, burn, destroy & hurt. We live on property for a reason…..FREEDOM!!!!! What are vets around this globe have sacrificed & fought for. Stand ur ground America, don’t be pushed over by criminals ✌🏼💨💨
As a 100% disabled American veteran I support our constitutional and God given RIGHTS to protect our family, our selves our brothers and sisters of all races and our property from criminal communist democrats and their ongoing assault on our free nation. Treason is treason no matter which person commits it. All must be held accountable for their actions or lack thereof.
More sheriffs should be like Sheriff Grady Judd. The BS would end.
I must state that I applaud the viewpoint presented. Being 100% deaf and living in a rural area, how do I contact the police in an emergency situation? That is why I am armed and carry a CCW permit.
That’s a good Sherrif. In my community the citizens and law enforcement would do the same.
We need more I aw enforcement officials like this!