Members of homeless camp arrested on charges of violating probation after camp was shut down
A group of homeless people was arrested Friday afternoon for violating probation after their camp, where they were required by their probation officers to stay, was shut down and there was nowhere else for them to go.
Of the 13 people who had been living at the camp, at least seven had GPS monitors or ankle bracelets registered to the site — in the woods at 4820 Highway 192 near Melbourne — that required them to return there during the evening or risk being in violation of their probation.
The owner of the property wanted the site bulldozed, the camp members said, and they were warned Tuesday by the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office that they had to vacate the area by 8 a.m. the next morning.
That put them in a quandary: if they stayed, they’d face trespass charges and violation of probation because the camp was being closed down. If they left, they also could face violation of probation because that’s where they were required to report.
I was in this exact situation I had been living in my truck on a back road by one of the places I got loaded. Its a privat road in which the owner pays for off duty cops to sit there as security. I had been going here every night for a month . Everything was fine until my boss needed my truck to do a night delivery so I had my wife’s car instead of my work truck. The cop came down woke me up to ask me what I was doing. I explained to him he got all tight and started the whole your one of them garbage then told me I had to leave I tried to explain that I couldn’t he said go or I will arrest you. I left , my gps went off they called me told me to go back I went back told the cop he said I don’t care what they told you I told you to leave if you come back again you won’t have to worry about your gps because you will be in a jail cell. When I left again my gps went off I talked to another person they asked if I had anywhere I could go I said maybe to my wife’s place of work they said go there now and we will see if there is anything around that your not supposed to be around (ie. Schools etc.) There was not they said to stay there until 6:00am and to report all of what happened to my po first thing in the morning . keep in mind I had been there since 8:00 pm this cop didn’t come bother me until 4:00 am he had been there since 5:00 pm the normal time they start “gaurding the property ” so he seen me come down seen me park I never got out of my car just went to sleep and he waits until 4:00am to find out why I was there I was lucky that the person at the monitoring center actually listened to my explanation of why I had left my registered spot and tried to be helpful instead of one of the ones who go by they’re little script of what to say and don’t care to listen .my Po’s response was that I should have made sure it was OK for me to be there before I registered the spot. I had called the sheriffs office to make sure I was in compliance with my restrictions. What else could I have done ? I had no way to find out who owned the road or how to contact them.
I think it’s respectful that the journalist didn’t point out their registration status.
I didn’t know they were registered…Just as it should be IRL!
It has always been that when two laws conflict, the conflict is resolved against the government. Same with probation and parole conditions. A person cannot be placed in a position where he has to break one law or rule in order to comply with another. Then again, it may be different in the Democratic People’s Republic of Florida.
Personally, I think those guys should establish a camp in the parking lot of the probation office and/or sheriff’s department and register that address.
I agree. The Sheriff office and probation office is public property and they cannot be trespassed from there.
Try that here in Florida at a sheriff’s office and believe me, you would be told not to return unless you had business there. I was once sitting in my car waiting for the line to go down in the middle of the day. An officer came over and said someone called in a suspicious person loitering in the parking lot. I explained to him I was sitting in the a/c until the registration line got shorter. He said ok and walked away. But again, I had a reason to be there.
Although having said that, it would be pretty funny if a registered person’s camp popped up in the parking lot of law enforcement buildings.
CherokeeJack
Couldn’t one argue they do have business at the sheriff’s department as a tax payer? Excuse me officer I just want to see my tax dollars misused, oops I mean well spent.
Earth to Florida get rid of residency restrictions and stop driving people into homelessness, while claiming your communities are safe. How much will this cost tax payers? A society that doesn’t show compassion for all is a society that is sick. Who do we connect to get those in the probation office served their pink slips?
I don’t know if Brevard has a homeless shelter. I know that in Volusia County registrants cannot use that facility. I suppose that the registrants should have camped out in front of the probation office. Unbelievable the callous and heartlessness shown.
On what planet does this make sense where people getting arrested for being in a place they are supposed to be and officials doing nothing to make living arrangements. What’s the point of probation or parole if they violate people for things beyond their control? Another embarrassment for Florida.
Oh trust me, Florida is NOT embarrassed by this at all. What’s to be embarrassed about when the majority of people across the country find humor in the suffering of others while thumping their bibles? And whenever someone says “wHaT AbOuT ThE ViCtImS” we need to learn how to come back at them for that attempt at painting us into a corner. First of all; GO ASK THE VICTIMS, since we’re not allowed to even apologize to them. Secondly, then saying that “victim” crutch insinuates that EVERY offense of a sexual nature has a victim. Consenting couples getting caught in the night club restrooms don’t have a “victim”. The teenagers who took their own nude pics don’t have a “victim”. I’m so sick of this “victim” crap. The right makes fun of the left for always crying “victim” about everything but the right does the very same.
This probation issue is a trap. They knew what was going to happen. I read the article. First thought was; They needed people to arrest to get the proverbial pat on the back.
Probation is a literal WASTE of taxpayer money. They don’t “sUpErViSe” anything. Seeing a probationer 1 time per week or 2 times per month is hardly “supervision”. End probation. The amount of time you get from the judge should be the end of the issue once you’re released back into society.