Sheriff Scott responds to County Commission request to stop sharing mugshots on social media
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Alachua County Sheriff Chad Scott has responded to the Alachua County Commission’s vote to issue a Chair letter asking him to stop posting mugshots on social media (click here to read our article about the motion).
In his letter, Sheriff Scott did not commit to complying with the County Commission’s request, but he also did not reject it; instead, he stated his commitment to transparency: “While we all hold different beliefs, values, and perspectives, trust must be fostered to ensure the safety and well-being of our community. Transparency builds trust, trust strengthens relationships, relationships create community, and community reflects unity.”
Scott wrote that he “will seek to discuss our policies related to [the concerns communicated in yesterday’s board meeting] with the County Commissioners, both individually and collectively,… with the shared goal of providing the highest level of service to our community.”
Scott concluded, “I remain committed to maintaining transparency through the responsible release of public information. You deserve to be informed and engaged in keeping Alachua County safe, and together we will continue working toward that goal.”
Click here to read Sheriff Scott’s letter.
Just because COMMIE COUNTY AND CITY, don’t want mugshots shown, is No reason to abide by their wishes! THE SHERIFF WORKS ALL THE PEOPLE! 😎👍
Would Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd stop posting the mugshots? Absolutely not.
Obviously the County Commission doesn’t like the the Alachua Chronicle informing law abiding citizens about all crime, convicted felons in possession of firearms, and the frequency (“catch-and-release”) that criminals are released back on the street, because it doesn’t fit their false narratives.
Sheriff Scott needs to keep posting the mugshots to protect the community and not acquiesce to the demands of the Alachua County Commission.
The Left hates transparency and free press. It jeopardizes their elite control system of narratives. Narratives that gaslight the few voters who still support them.
Keeping victims in the dark only helps public lawyers, the legal elites with judges who demand we pay off their law skool loans ON TOP OF new courthouse costs. Meanwhile the Sheriff’s office is still in a converted old Winn-Dixie shopping center on the eastside 🥺😡🤬
JK, if you dropped the continual degrading malarkey on the lawyers and their loans spiel, and focused a little more on the reasoning of your arguments, they would sound so much less looney.
Now if we could get media outlets to stop posting pics of some of the commissioners and others in local government…
OMG what would all the Reich Wing nuts do with their time if they couldn’t comment on here about somebody’s mugshot
Seems it was the locally elected $0ci@li$ts who were originally against posting pics.
Nice try though.
Crying bear, you’re commenting here…It’s about public safety.
Mugshots are a good way to identify criminals…
OMG, what would left wing idiots do with their time if they weren’t loading up Grace marketplace and our streets with bums, criminals , and drug addicts?
Stay away from trouble, and Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.
Sheriff Scott should hold ANY discussions on this issue with ANY commissioners IN PUBLIC.
Smart play Sheriff Scott! There’s a reason why the commissioners put out their no-mugshot request and you played it beautifully. They were setting you up knowing they would be voting on your budget request next week. A non answer was brilliant.
With the rise and permanence of the internet I realize how devastating one of these mugshots to be to a potentially innocent suspect in gaining employment. Remember, under the law, they are innocent until proven guilty, however, these mugshots are serving as negative fodder for background checks for potentially innocent people for basically perpetuity.
What if this were you and you had no recourse for a internet takedown notice?
A much more productive method would be to publish the mugshots of CONVICTIONS, I would suggest only felonies. And, thus not having the long term detrimental effect of potentially court mitigated or innocent people.
“these mugshots are serving as negative fodder for background checks”
Really??? It hasn’t stopped the city of Gainesville hiring felons who have stolen from the taxpayers. If liberals are OK with illegal alien criminals immigrating here do you think they really care about the public’s safety?
Can you provide one mugshot of a “Gainesville city employee who has stolen from the taxpayers” and been convicted?
It’s not about politics, Trumper.
Don’t you remember the infamous “Brazilian Butt” employee (RIP)? She previously worked in Ft. Lauderdale and used their city credit card and stole from them prior to moving here and Gville hired her and gave her a credit card which she used to get a butt lift surgery? Most so called ‘Trumpers’ pay attention to details and don’t suffer from selective memory like the leftists do.
Mugshot?
Sorry Supernib…..the mugshot is archived now. Try to keep up.
you must be new to the internet
Nibbler: boo hoo.😭 toughen up snowflake… dropped charges don’t matter in a background check…
That’s right Bull, mugshots are perceived as convictions by the public. Innocent before proven guilty people. It’s about the Constitution dummy; it’s about making America great again.
Ms Cabrera- can you explain your process for acquiring mugshots? how would the commissioners request effect your ability to report arrests?
This has nothing to do with mugshots as public records or the ability of the public to access them.
Commissioners are asking the Sheriff to stop including a mugshot of the defendant in their own Facebook (or other social media) posts about arrests.
It’s specifically about how the Sheriff’s Office uses social media to report on arrests or other incidents.
Thanks Jennifer. So….if the Sheriff goes through with their request it won’t affect the posting of mugshots and their crimes on AC in the future?
Correct. This is only about the posts ASO makes on its Facebook page (and other social media pages). If you go to the page, you’ll see plenty of examples, although the two most recent “Arrested” posts do not have mugshots. The last one was on Jan. 2.
https://www.facebook.com/AlachuaCountySheriff
Thank you. That is what I thought. All the hand wringing about access is mooted.
All the social media chest thumping by government departments is over the top attention seeking. It requires staff time and energy better suited to serving the public and adds little value.
The sheriff shouldn’t be doing cops style reality tv and should not be charging exorbitant fees for FOI act requests. Accountability for Clovis Watson is needed.
Yeah, don’t wanna stigmatize those arrested. Gotta keep it on the downlow. Commission don’t want seen the races of the arrested ones.