The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office settled a case alleging that they “punishes people for crimes they have not yet committed and may never commit”.
The lawsuit was brought against Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco by defendants who claimed they were targeted and harassed by the agency’s intelligence-led policing program. They alleged that their Constitutional rights were violated. The trial was originally expected to last two to three weeks, but was settled last Wednesday for a total of $105,000, which will be paid by the Florida Sheriff’s Association Risk Management Fund.
After the settlement, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office released this statement:
“The Pasco Sheriff’s Office will never apologize for keeping our community safe and holding those who victimize our community accountable for their actions. It is important to note that this is the final case tied to the false reporting alleged by former members of the Sheriff’s Office who were held accountable and disciplined for their actions. In all previous cases, courts ruled in favor of the Sheriff’s Office and, in this case, a court also found that the Sheriff’s Office written policies were constitutional.”
“To be clear, this activist group from outside our community represented four individuals and this is related to these four individuals only. As a steward of taxpayer dollars, the Sheriff must adhere to that responsibility and, when presented with a financially minimal settlement agreement of $105,000, which is significantly lower than anticipated attorney costs for trial which could have reached millions of dollars, accepting the settlement was the best decision for the taxpayers of Pasco County. This was strictly a financial decision that was best for the taxpayers who fund our operations and will be paid for by the Florida Sheriff’s Association Risk Management Fund. We continue to protect and serve our community and will continue to be tough on crime and make sure those who victimize our community will be held accountable. We will, again, never apologize for keeping our community safe.”