30 Florida Sheriffs Denounce Florida Rising for ‘Defund the Police,’ Rhetoric Leading to ‘Unspeakable Violence Against Officers’

FORT MYERS (FLV) – Thirty Florida sheriffs denounced the organization Florida Rising, claiming its agenda to defund the police and “demonize” law enforcement has led to violence against officers in the state.

“Recent years have forced out of the shadows a radical agenda to demonize law enforcement, and given voice to dangerous attempts to defund and defame the police. Both have led to unspeakable violence against officers in our state and across the country,” the memo said.

The sheriffs called Florida Rising the largest Florida-based “anti-cop” group that endorses Democrats across the state.

“Florida Rising is a self-described socialist organization that espouses anti-law enforcement sentiments and believes in defunding the police as the only way to keep our communities safe,” the memo said. “Their hate speech claims law enforcement and the KKK are one and the same and clearly state that school resource officers have no place in our schools.”

“On behalf of the hardworking law enforcement officers across our state and the communities we serve and protect, the below signed Florida Sheriffs denounce Florida Rising’s anti-law enforcement hate speech and defund the police agenda. We strongly urge Floridians to reject this organization and their hand-picked candidates up and down the ballot, as they are a threat to Florida law enforcement and the safety of this great state.”

Portion of the memo

Florida’s Voice reached out to Florida Rising Wednesday morning and will update if a response is provided.

Florida Rising’s website says it advances “economic and racial justice across Florida.” The organization endorses candidates and advocates for policy changes on the state and local levels.

“Police-free Schools are possible and NECESSARY. We marched on Osceola School Board grounds to call for the REMOVAL of all SROs in schools” as well as “police presence in schools helps no one, and harms our children,” the organization has tweeted.

The Center for Popular Democracy, which Florida Rising is affiliated with, has a report advocating for the removal of police officers from schools and defunding the police. A report from that organization concludes that Congress “must” defund police. 

“Congress must listen to the urgent call to defund police and shift its priorities by defunding programs that support state and local law enforcement and scaling up its funding for programs that support true public safety,” the report said. 

To end overdoses in the United States, the group believes in divesting from policing and incarceration to invest in “public health measures.” This includes supporting the “safe” use of drugs, the Center for Popular Democracy outlined in a report. 

The sheriffs memo claims 80% of Florida Rising’s endorsed primary candidates won in August and moved to the general election.

Some of the endorsed Democrat candidates include candidate for governor Charlie Crist and U.S. Senate candidate Val Demings. Others include:

U.S. House Candidates:

• Maxwell Frost
• Kathy Castor
• Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick
• Christine Alexandria Olivo
• Annette Taddeo

State Senate

• Lorrane Ausley
• Joy Goff-Marcil
• Janet Cruz
• Eunic Ortiz
• Janelle Perez

“This year, we have a progressive black woman running for a seat in the Senate to replace Marco Rubio, Representative @Valdemings,” Florida Rising said on Twitter.

“Florida Rising is proud to endorse @CharlieCrist for governor!” the group said.

Pro-Socialism Groups Back Janelle Perez for Florida State Senate

Florida’s Voice previously reported on Florida Rising endorsing Democrat state senate candidate Janelle Perez. Perez originally had Florida Rising listed on her website under the “endorsements” section. After the report, the endorsement is no longer listed on her website.

The following sheriffs signed onto the memo:

• Baker Sheriff Scotty Rhoden
• Bay Sheriff Tommy Ford
• Bradford Sheriff George Paul “Gordon” Smith
• Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey
• Clay Sheriff Michelle Cook
• Columbia Sheriff Mark A. Hunter
• DeSoto Sheriff James F. Potter
• Dixie Sheriff Darby Butler
• Escambia Sheriff Chip Simmons
• Franklin Sheriff A.J. Smith
• Gilchrist Sheriff Bobby Schultz
• Glades Sheriff David Hardin
• Gulf Sheriff Mike Harrison
• Hardee Sheriff Vent Crawford
• Hendry Sheriff Stephen H. “Steve” Whidden
• Highlands Sheriff Paul Blackman
• Holmes Sheriff John Tate
• Indian River Sheriff Eric Flowers
• Jackson Sheriff Donald L. Edenfield
• Lafayette Sheriff Brian N. Lamb
• Lake Sheriff Peyton C. Grinnell
• Lee Sheriff Carmine Marceno
• Liberty Sheriff Buddy Money
• Martin Sheriff William Snyder
• Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco
• Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri
• Santa Rosa Sheriff Robert Johnson
• Sarasota Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman
• Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood
• Washington Sheriff Kevin Crews

The organization has promoted socialism on its social media. In a tweet, Florida Rising said they are going to “fight” capitalism “with socialism.”

“Proudly, we say we’re not going to fight capitalism with black capitalism, but we’re going to fight it with socialism. We’re going to fight (their) reactions with all of us people getting together and having an international proletarian revolution,” “Florida Rising” said on Twitter in January of 2021.

Florida Rising has also spoken out against criminalizing “sex work.”

“Sex work is work, and it’s time we start acting like it,” the group said.

The sheriffs praised Republicans for increasing law enforcement funding, providing bonuses and “commonsense policies” to equip first responders.

“Here in Florida, our leaders have backed our heroes of law enforcement in the face of aggressive activist and media pressure – not just because it’s the right thing to do – but because government’s one and only responsibility is to protect it’s citizens,” the memo emphasized.