- 
      - ** Home
      - ** About Us
      - ** Archives
      - ** Events
      - ** Publications

### Contact Us

To provide feedback on the Community Policing Dispatch, e-mail the editorial board at CPDispatch@usdoj.gov.

To obtain details on COPS Office programs, publications, and resources, contact the COPS Office Response Center at 800-421-6770 or AskCopsRC@usdoj.gov

**U.S. Department of Justice**        Office of Community Oriented Policing Services            145 N Street, N.E.       Washington, DC 20530      www.cops.usdoj.gov×        Menu         - Home
- About Us
- Archives
- Events
- Publications
- Contact Us
**Meet Grady Judd:              Leader of the Major Counties Sheriffs of America              and Creator of Operation Naughty, Not Nice**
February 2019 | Volume 12 | Issue 1

A law enforcement leader respected by his colleagues across  the country, Polk  County (Florida) Sheriff Grady Judd is a man of strong convictions,  relentless in pursuing criminals who prey upon children and compassionate to  victims of crime. Equally proactive in helping those who are serving time and  want to re-enter society as contributors to their community, he helps inmates  get a leg up through skill training. And as president of the Major Counties  Sheriffs of America (MCSA), whose members include sheriffs of  counties with populations of 500,000 or more, he is focused on issues important  to all law enforcement leaders. The following interview provides a brief  introduction.
What are your goals  for the MCSA?
          I spend a lot of time working on behalf of legislation to increase  public safety and support victims of crime. I’m also planning to develop a  scientific research arm for the MCSA, which will be rolled out next year. We  will partner with science-based researchers on topics that are in the forefront  of law enforcement concerns. I have seen policies driven by false narratives,  for economic or political purposes, but our research will not be politically  based, influenced by the right or left. Its purpose will be to provide state legislatures  with the factual information they need to create evidence-based policies. 
Are there any changes  you would like to see in county jails?
          I want to discourage recidivism by ensuring that incarcerated  individuals can re-enter society with the abilities they need to succeed on the  outside. In Polk County, we encourage inmates to develop skills in landscaping,  mechanics, and other areas and provide certificates of completion for those who  earn them. We also work with local businesses, encouraging to employ people from  county jail. One inmate asked for a job in the kitchen so she could earn a  culinary certificate. When she accumulated enough experience, she got a  certificate signed by me—and after her release, got a job.
What are the biggest  challenges for sheriffs today?
          Recruiting men and women who want to make law enforcement a lifetime  career is difficult. It  takes at least 10  years to become competent in all the important areas of law enforcement, but  many young people today change jobs every three years or so. 

          Another challenge is changing the narrative about law  enforcement. People hear about excessive use of force and other horrific events  and assume that they are typical of all officers. The reality is that these  negative events are very rare and they don’t accurately reflect the amazing  work done by deputies and officers every day. Community relations and  communications are a top priority for all law enforcement agencies.
January is Human  Trafficking Awareness month. Please tell us about your Naughty, Not Nice  operations.
          Naughty, Not Nice is an undercover operation targeting human  trafficking that we carry out several times a year. The November operation resulted  in 103 arrests on a variety of charges in just one week’s time. The operation  focuses on using fictitious media posts to catch traffickers, perpetrators, and  other criminals, including individuals accused of kidnapping and murder.

Though our focus is on catching predators, our job doesn’t  end there. We work with organizations such as One More Child and the Florida  Department of Children and Families, which support children rescued from human  traffickers.

I urge agencies of all sizes to be proactive in hunting sexual  predators and human traffickers. These crimes are more prevalent than they  appear to be, usually not detected until a child is hurt or killed. Smaller  agencies can partner up with other sheriffs or chiefs as well as with state and  federal agencies to carry out this kind of operation.
According to the MCSA  mission statement, an area of special interest is innovations based upon  science and technology. What is working now and what do you foresee for the  future?
Technology will help us become more efficient in law  enforcement and corrections. We now have kiosks in jails that allow inmates to  communicate with prison management to make complaints or requests and allow us  to respond in real time. Drones will soon be used to patrol some areas, and we  will eventually see robots on the floors, making sure population counts are  right, dispensing medicines in accurate dosages, and performing other tasks. 
How are you building  community relations in Polk County?
We are very active in our communities, meeting with faith  leaders for instance, asking for program suggestions and their opinions of what  we are doing. We also engage in a lot of community outreach. The Polk Sheriff’s  Charities gave 1,300 turkeys to needy families on Thanksgiving and will ensure  that no child in Polk County is forgotten on Christmas through our Toys for Tots  program. We also have a Jeepin’ with Judd trail ride every year, a clay pigeon  shooting match, and other events, with proceeds going to the Polk Sheriff’s  Charities. But what matters most is our everyday interactions of with all  members of the community, and we strive to make every one of those positive.

Faye Elkins          Senior  Technical Writer

Tweet
**Subscribe to Email Updates**
To sign up for monthly updates or to access your subscriber preferences, please enter your email address in the Subscribe box.
Email
The Community Policing Dispatch is the e-newsletter of the COPS Office. 

The Community Policing Dispatch is the e-newsletter of the COPS Office. 

**Explore**
- Home
- About Us
- Archives
- Events
- Publications
- Contact Us
**Connect With Us**
Want to stay connected with the COPS office?             Follow us on social media!
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
 FOIA 

 No FEAR Act 

 Open Government 

 Plain Writing 

 USA.gov 

 Legal Policies and Disclaimers 

 Language Access Plan 

 DOJ Privacy Policy