Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels
Courtesy Clay County Sheriff's Office
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Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels, no stranger to making viral videos appealing to tough-on-crime politics, released a video (click here to watch) Tuesday that said he will make “special deputies of every lawful gun owner in this county” if he feels the county is overwhelmed by protesters.

The three-minute video shows Daniels standing in front of 18 deputies as he derides civil-rights protesters as godless disruptors and tells them to stay out of Clay County, a suburb of Jacksonville.

“And if you come to Clay County and you think for one second, we’ll bend our backs for you, you’re sadly mistaken,” he said. “I know what happens when lawlessness prevails. And in this day and time, God is raising up men and women just like the folks standing behind me who will have strong backbones and will stand in the gap between lawlessness and the citizenry we’re sworn to protect.”

– Andrew Pantazi in Clay County sheriff says he’ll deputize every gun owner if deputies can’t handle protesters

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149 COMMENTS

    • That’s a transparently bad idea…being deputized without any training. I pity the fools who don’t see that truth right off the bat.

      • Incorrect. American gun owners are often very proficient in the use of their personal firearms, at a rate competing or even exceeding the proficiency of LE and even the military. Forming a militia to fend off an invasion is about as American as you can get.

        God bless this sheriff.

        • No, I’m not incorrect. Its a transparently bad idea. And I pity you, and your poor judgement.

        • Might be more accurate to say a lot of people paid 275 dollars for a “tactical shooter” class and bought a Chinese plate carrier and now THINK they’re more proficient than LE and military.

          That’s not to say there aren’t plenty of people — veterans, actual responsible citizens, etc — who are perfectly qualified to be deputized, but there are a lot of stupids out there. Cops who are trained, not in terms of shooting and being tactical brohards, but in terms of justified use of force, laws and statutes, screw up or fly off the handle. Do you want the liability of deputizing Kyle who thinks he can stick his Punisher Glock through a window because he saw it on TV?

        • There if FAR more involved with law enforcement than the use of a firearm. If you can’t see it, well you can always go shopping for some brown shirts for your wardrobe.

        • Honestly gasper, I think that you think that gun owners are what you see on Facebook or YouTube, and that’s not really accurate at all.

          I know a shit ton of gun owners like me and have for decades. None of them sport punisher skulls and Chinese tactical gear. I think you may be assuming what’s trendy online for reality, and that’s just not the case.

          I also think there’s too much self shame in gun blogs online. Look at the last story of the man and woman who defended their home from the mob. People went apeshit over the most minor thing. Someone stood up to the mob and won. And won. Yes won. And a ton of people online who are supposed to be on our side shamed them. Sounds to me like Stockholm syndrome.

        • Ron, I don’t think the ‘mob’ was as much of a issue as it was made out to be. Yes having firearms at the ready would be prudent, but the fact is that the homeowners escalated the situation rather rapidly. They presented a target for the protesters that was not there before they came out on the lawn started pointing firearms at people. And I think that is where a lot of the backlash is coming from. Yes they were a durance, but they also a potential catalyst to turn that group into a mob.

        • I’m sorry, but you’re the ignorant one. There is far more to policing than marksmanship. Most police never even fire their guns while on duty, outside of training or qualification. These new deputies will only have one skill, if that, since gun ownership doesn’t equal competence. Most will have only flat range experience and never even drawn from a holster. They won’t know cuffing, evidence collection, communications, laws, procedures, de-escalation, unarmed combat, first aid, etc. They’ll be warm bodies and trigger pullers, and not much else. It’s the old saying of if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

        • Re: Chinese PCs.

          On the plus side, Condor’s sizing has convinced half of China that Land of the Giants was actually a documentary.

        • The fact is that the sheriff was concerned, he should be training up a bunch of deputy reservists. A good small town sheriff will actually do that.

          This him just barking like a guard dog on YouTube. Problem is it can give his local yahoos some stupid ideas. Looks a stuff that is being spouted on this thread

        • What all you morons don’t understand is these people wouldn’t be being called up to be police.

          They’d be being called up to fend off an invasion.

          Get a clue.

        • Nope! Maddcapp is absolutely correct. There is a lot more to being a deputy sheriff than proficiency with firearms. The sheriff is just grandstanding for the rubes. You don’t have to be a genius to figure that out. And if you guys don’t get it, I pity YOU.

        • I like how all the sudden a ton of new names show up to to bash this sheriff… almost as if… there was some kind of organization to it.

        • MadCapp, binder, and your cheerleaders,

          Sheriffs deputize volunteers for specific missions, NOT general law enforcement. Therefore, deputized volunteers do not need the weeks of training and months of mentoring that sworn law enforcement officers require.

          The specific mission for deputized volunteers in Clay County would be simple:
          1) Stand in front of monuments, statues, businesses, and homes.
          2) If bad actors approach, tell them, “STOP! GO BACK!”
          3) If bad actors keep coming anyway, defend yourselves.

          Now, which of those three mission details requires weeks of training? Answer: NONE!

          Note: a mob of unruly and/or beligerent people who approach you after you tell them to stop are an imminent threat of grievous bodily harm or death in my opinion. And I am quite confident that the Clay County Sheriff would explicitly spell out what he wants his deputized volunteers to do in that situation. Again, this does not require weeks of training. Rather, it requires a 15 minute discussion.

        • It requires vetting more than anything else. This sheriff want to deputize EVERYONE with a gun who is not a felon.

        • binder,

          I am not convinced that vetting would be necessary — or that it would be difficult if necessary.

          One approach is exceedingly simple: deputize any volunteer over the age of 35 who has a concealed carry license. Why would that be so simple and yet so effective? It would be simple because the Florida Department of Agriculture (their licensing authority) has already vetted and excluded anyone with any significant criminal convictions. And it would be effective because exceedingly few bad actors will reach the age of 35 without a significant criminal conviction. Thus, if the Sheriff deputizes volunteers who have concealed carry licenses and are over the age of 35, they are virtually guaranteed to be calm and collective good people.

        • Why can’t you get it threw your head that CCW nor lack of a criminal history bypasses the need to deputize people who are level headed. 2/3 of the people in every CCW class I have been in NEED more training. As in I think they may have shot maybe a box of ammo before the class at the most.

          And again, I’m all for the sheriff using volunteers, but saying he will deputize everyone is just stupid and grandstanding.

          Better yet, I even more in favor of a sheriff creating a volunteer force, hell even a list of reliable people, before crap like this happens.

        • My brother-in-law, who lives down the road in Clay County, received a text today from CCSO asking if he would be interested in volunteering to assist the SO if needed. He was contacted because he is between the ages of 36 and 64, holds a valid FL CWP, has a clear criminal record, and has lived in Clay County for more than two years. The text mentions completing required training and being issued a uniform and select equipment/gear as needed. He replied YES and is happy to do it. He is going to keep me updated with the details of how it goes.

        • Trained or not, anyone attempting to harm my.loved ones or other innocent people will be met by a greater show of force. Threats will be neutralized on their tracks

        • Madcap, you are a moron who has consumed the kool-aide and enjoyed it. How do you suppose the trainers were trained? I was 24 before I got my first “training” in the AF. I had been a gunowner and shooter for 12 years by that time, and they taught me nothing, just gave me an expert marksman badge and sent me on my way. Shooting is not rocket science regardless of how much the gun grabbers attempt to convince you that it is. It’s kinda like motorcycles, everybody knows they are just OMG dangerous, never mind almost all fatalities have been riding less than 6 months. If you’ve owned and fired a gun for a year and you’re still alive, you’re ready to be this man’s deputy. You have been duped into unreasoning, irrational fear, and you should be pissed about it, rather than telling others to adopt that same irrational fear.

        • The training he was referring to was not firearms training. If you are deputized you have the same responsibilities as as academy trained peace officer. You are also subject to the same repercussions for violating someones rights as an academy trained peace office. So yes, being deputized with little to no training is a bad idea

        • Proper training as in the proper use of force and the use of force continuum. Its not enough to shoot well but also know when to shoot (or use pepper spray, baton or taser)

        • a small percentage of people being proficient in shooting is not the same as understanding the requirements for things like how to handle a crime scene, answer to a domestic disturbance, a vast knowledge of the law, and the responsibilities that come with being a police officer.

          Ron is on a roll here it seems… nothing out of the ordinary. I love it when he results to calling people “mccrystal trolls”, when it’s half the community calling him out. I’ve said it from the day you showed up here, and while I have my vendettas with certain people, and certain people are also disliked very much by the majority of the community like Vlad was, Chief Sensor, and Miner49er, you are an entirely different problem here. You showed up after the sharing of some confederate flag article and everything you spewed since then has been utter racist garbage, and this kind of crap. A lot of us would even agree that police are too powerful, are in fact the definition of tyrants, but most of us also know they are a necessary evil of sorts. But you thinking that the average gun owner being a marksman equals a good sheriff? lol. Can’t make this kind of stupid up if I tried. You make it so easy ron. Just crawl back to facebook and stay there… or did your favorite “hate speech” page get banned in “the purge”? At least go troll redditt, where I am certain there is some subreddit for assholes like you to be butt buddies together.

        • being deputized doesn’t mean you go off half-cocked to play Wyatt Earp…you operate under the direction and authority of a legitimate LE officer…you’re there to assist…nothing more…

        • Has nothing to do with proficiency and everything to do with knowing the laws and understanding use of force. This act of deputizing is a way for the sheriff to negate his responsibility an liability.

      • Madcapp, are you one of them there “peaceful” protesters?

        No wonder you’re scared of honest, hard working American citizens.
        You should be, because just like a dam when the water reaches it’s crest, American citizens will explode and put a stop to all the current anti-American, marxist, communist, socialist claptrap, using ALL the means at their disposal.

        It won’t be pretty, but I guarantee that it will be effective.

        • Being where he is I’d bet a lot of them boys are quite good with a rifle. Where I was raised most boys were well trained hunters by the time they were 7 or 8 years old. I hope to God Antifa doesn’t try to start any crap there because if they thought they could get away with it it could turn out they would be dead wrong. If somebody comes after me or my family I’ve been hunting by myself since I was 6 and even then I would shoot doves in the head with a 22, mostly because shotguns kicked to hard and I was a little bit lighter then. I hope they stay away from me now because even though I don’t like the way they are trying to destroy my country I don’t want to have to shoot any of them to defend myself, someday they might grow up and realize how stupid they are behaving and stop.

      • Elitist. As “transparently bad” as a small Sheriff’s Dept and town being overrun by commie thugs? Plenty of citizens are proficient enough to accomplish the task of killing off some untrained and undisciplined vermin.

      • At last count we have close what…. 700,000 trained and sworn police officers in the United States? I haven’t been real impressed with the results of all that training of late. Like one protester taunted a cop in New York, “A hairdresser has more training than you”. (They absolutely do by the way) Nothing wrong with it, if the Sheriff needs some extra manpower.

      • You may be under a misconception. I can see how you came to it but nothing could be further from the truth. I have witnessed as a child in Texas how deputized everyday people given limited duties and clear instructions can hold off lawlessness.

      • Madcapp, I agree. Not all gun owners understand what most LE do like; reading body language, deesalation, etc. Then there’s an understanding of local and state laws. I can imagine some gunowners especially new gun owners doing this crap: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2020/jun/29/couple-pointed-guns-at-woman-for-allegedly-stealin/
        What would you do if some random folks acused you of stealing and held you at gun point? What if they were muzzle sweeping your family? I don’t have a problem with folks defending themselves, that’s why I carry too. I have a problem with dumbasses potentially messing it up for the rest of us. Dumbasses are a liability.

        • Agreeing with madcap show off your ignorance , as if living in California dinnt already show everyone how stupid you seem to be. Go back to living under your bridge scaring children who try to cross it . Liberal idiot trolls are not welcome around here .

        • SoCalJack was probably here LONG before you and is NOT whatever you are saying he is.

          There is a discussion to be had about the legal issues that will arise deputizing random untrained people. It’s one thing to be “merica” as fuck, it’s another to neglect the issues of police misconduct. That doesn’t make you some liberal, or chaz resident, or blm supporter, it makes you a freedom loving fucking patriot. Stop turning every disagreeance with everything pro police into an anti police stance. There is a medium.

      • I AM ABSOLUTELY AND TOTALLY TOTALLY IN SUPPORT OF THE CLAY COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT IN FLORIDA
        AMEN A SHERIFF WITH BACKBONE AND THE PEOPLE HE DEPUTIZEl WILL BE LAW BIDDING CITIZENS WITH LLEGAL GUNS
        THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO THESE CRIMINALS

        LAW BIDDING CITIZENS HAS COMMON SENSE
        AND THAT’S THE MOST PART OF ANY TRAINING

        THIS IS ABSOLUTELY BEING FELT ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
        THE LAW BIDDING AMERICAN CITIZENS
        ARE GOING TO FINALLY GET ENOUGH OF ALL THESE CRIMINALS SO CALLED PROTESTERS

        AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS WELL THE VERY SAME DUMB ASS STUPID PEOPLE
        WHO ABSOLUTELY ARE CALLING FOR THE DEFUND THE POLICE

        THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ABSOLUTELY WILL BE CALLING

        THOSE SAME POLICE TO COME AND PROTECT THERE BUTTS

        HAHA LOL HAHA LOL

        WHEN THE AMERICAN PATRIOTS FINALLY GETS ENOUGH
        OF ALL THESE CRIMINAL ACKS AND OTHER ILLEGAL THING THAT THESE AGAIN SO CALLED GOOD PROTESTERS ARE DOING
        THEN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE
        TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AND THERE FAMILY AND THERE BUSINESSES

        LLEGAL GOOD PROTESTERS
        YEAH RIGHT
        VERY VERY FEW GOOD PROSTESTER

        HAHA LOL HAHA LOL

        THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA ARE HELPING THESE CRIMINALS PROTESTERS GET AWAY WITH THERE CRIMES

        BY ABSOLUTELY NOT TELLING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THE REAL TRUTH OF WHAT THESE CRIMINALS ARE REALLY DOING

        FOR ONE BURNING DOWN BUILDINGS AND LOOTING BUSINESSES
        AS WELL AS BEATING PEOPLE WHO DOESN’T AGREE WITH THERE LAWLESSNESS

        I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH THIS SHERIFF IN CLAY COUNTY FLORIDA

        YOU GO CLAY COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT

        MAY GOD BLESS YOU SIR.
        AND ALL THE PEOPLE IN CLAY COUNTY FLORIDA

        GOD BLESS AMERICA THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD

      • Obviously you have never seen a police qualification but saying that most people who shoot 300 rds a week or every 2 weeks are better marksman than police officers and clay county nex don’t mess around I live about 20 miles from clay county by the way in Duval county Home of the RNC this year.

      • A lot of retired grunts out there that wouldn’t say no. Deputized != lack of training.

        Tsh, Id probably be the one training the police rather than being trained.

        • I was thinking the same thing. Fuck that. We exist to police them, not become them. These are the types of people who have a “thin blue line” bumper sticker next to their “come and take them” bumper sticker…

      • Go troll someplace else.

        They told us you were coming.

        Too bad I can’t physically stop you hiding behind your keyboard.

      • On one hand people say the cops don’t receive much or enough training, for being the impromptu boy scout to roadside pediatrician to Superman on the fly, but, somehow they get the job done everyday. Has anyone ever thought how much education would be necessary to cover all the tasks that the public expects from them. More education than a doctor times two. But, that’s cool, because the taxpayer would be happy to pay a starting salary of $150,000 times however many police are required in your county or town, right?
        Then on the other hand you have all these 2A brandishing ediots, that’s educated idiots, that 2A this and 2A that and not infringe this and not to infringe on that and yet when you the lawful gun owner finds out that you may actually be called upon to protect and defend you constitution and community you all of a sudden become an unqualified low life hypocrite. If your idea is Joe cool with a hammer tool and not someone willing to take up arms in defense of God, family and country, then I don’t want anything to do with you. If you own a gun and talk the talk then you should do the walk to know your piece and how to use it. If you do the talk and not the walk you are worthless as an American and human being!!!

      • I pitty this fool !
        A nobody who seeks ” like the socialist ” and invaders , who are telling America she is all wrong , about everything !
        Have these hoodlems had “training ” on public property destruction ?
        Have these hoodlums had training on burning & pillaging ?
        Have these racist hoodlems had training on looting ?
        Have these racist ” of color ” had training in DRIVE BY murder ?
        Take your liberal SOCIALISM to a country that tolerates it !!

    • You mean this Sheriff? He announced this today did he, I wonder why. Yeah, let’s hold up this guy as a model.

      CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — A yearlong investigation of Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels may be drawing to a close.

      First Coast News has learned from multiple law enforcement sources that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has completed its initial report into misconduct allegations against Clay’s top cop. The report is now in the possession of the 4th District State Attorney’s Office, which must review and make recommendations, an FDLE spokesperson confirmed.

      The investigation was sparked in May 2019 after Daniels called 911 on his lover of six years, whom he accused of stalking, and asked his own officers to place her under arrest. Cierra Smith was arrested and detained for 6 hours but not jailed after an assistant state attorney found there was no probable cause to book her.

      It later emerged that Daniels began his affair with Smith when he was her direct supervisor at the Duval County Jail.

      Because prosecutors must still review the report and decide if charges are warranted, FDLE could not comment on the content of the investigation, saying it is still active.

      Daniels is a first-term sheriff up for re-election and facing six challengers including Atlantic Beach Police Chief Michelle Cook, former Clay County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management Director Ben Carroll, former FDLE agent Mike Taylor, as well as former Clay County Commissioner and retired Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Harold Rutledge.

      • Sounds like a good ol’ boy, huh? What would that have to do with deputizing citizens to respond to rioters? Which, if you recall, was the subject, not whether we should reelect him.

        • You mean he announcing this THE SAME DAY the state announced that they had finished their investigation and are recommending charges? He announced this…the same day?

          Connected…hmm?

        • Well, I live in Middleburg, he’s my Sheriff and I am proud to have him. Today on the Mark Kaye radio show the phone lines were overwhelmed by supporters of Sheriff Daniels.
          Matter of fact he, his deputies and the majority of shooters in Clay County shoot at the same range. We know him and his deputies and he knows us. Heck a number of the deputies work part time at the range. All of us would be happy to help in anyway necessary if called upon. That’s who we are in Clay County. We are not the typical Captain Marvel under wearing pull up fan boy wannabes you find on this blog.

    • Yea, what can go wrong?

      Pretty sure it’s the equal to the idiots of chop/chaz turning anyone with a gun into their “security”. It’s just the other sides version.

      • Montana Actual: You ever do anything for the country or are you just another pajama boy living in your mommas basement cuddled up with your Hereford calf sugar tit. I understand how lonely it gets up there. With that, your points are understood and not taken by anyone. You are clueless.

        • You mean like fighting in two “wars”? Take your own advice. Stop making assumptions, they make you look subjective.

          I’ve done more as a civilian “for this country” than in 7 years of service.

  1. I say Hell Yes, and let’s put these un-American Traitors down by all lawful means.

    Please, if you want to protest, do it 100% peacefully – no weapons, no clubs, nothing on your person that could hurt anyone or damage property. Stay OFF any private property, Do Not Block any cars or traffic or streets, or sidewalks. If someone wants to pass through your protest to get where they are going, move out of their way and show respect. If a police officer asks you for your ID or wants to talk to you, cooperate (you are not hiding anything). If you are detained or arrested, cooperate and you will soon be set free. Do not threaten any people – remember a protest MUST be 100% peaceful – no anger, no threats, no violence.

    If you see violence or rioting, leave immediately so you are not part of the problem or you are not getting shot!

    Pretty easy, we all did it back in the 60’s and it worked, but nowadays seems like all the BLM and Antifa folks just want to kill people, destroy property, loot and riot. So they are ALL going to die, don’t die with them!

    • “Please, if you want to protest, do it 100% peacefully – no weapons, no clubs, nothing on your person that could hurt anyone or damage property.”

      I’m certainly not a supporter of looting or violence, but are you saying I should leave my gun at home the next time I have to go down to the capitol to protest 2A restrictions? What’s good for the goose…

      • That was my thought as well. The 1A mentions “peaceable assembly”, not “vulnerable and without ability to defend against unwanted aggression while assembling”.

    • Not Block any cars or traffic or streets, or sidewalks “we did that in the 60s” WOW just wow, where to start.

        • My personal experience is from the 70’s and I have NO illusions about the 60s. Oh they were a great time, and a lot of the effects of the 60 were still being felt in the early to mid 70s, but very turbulent as well. And the DNC clouded a lot of things when I was younger. So I’m more Skylab and not moon landing, I will give you that

        • yeah,..been through this all before…[the sixties]….and it worked out just fine…we protected our neighborhood..and that was all that was asked of us….the cops were riding around 4 to a car and appeared scared shitless…no help from them…so we just took it upon ourselves to do what was necessary….

        • sixties were a lot more violent…a lot more shooting…and a lot more people shot…you weren’t dealing with so many pansy asswipes, rubber bullets or liberal mayors back then…violent acts were met with a violent response…and, at times…the cities resembled actual war zones….

        • actually it was heartening and reassuring to see how many of our neighbors came forth and volunteered…had never spoken to many of these people before…but there they were shoulder to shoulder with the rest of us….slept a lot better after I saw that….it was a bonding experience for us all….

    • F@#k you . I will carry everywhere I go protesting or not . If you want to protest peacefully that’s great but not being armed will make you the next victim of BLM , ANTIFA, and DNC violence. Anywhere these LIARS show up violence follows . PUT DOWN YOUR KOOLAID AND WAKE UP .

    • Kent state was in the 60’s wasn’t it? Ok, well, 1970… but you get it. How did that peaceful protest go for them? Do you think if they were armed they would have been gunned down by the national guard?

      • most people in that town just want to forget that unfortunate experience…the monument is quite small…and most don’t even want to talk about it….

      • they were just a bunch of college kids…many of them not even involved in the taunting and baiting…there was really no reason to fire into them….

  2. Well Lefties, you got what you wanted; communities protected by its members. Just don’t be surprised when an overwhelming majority don’t share your opinions.

    • Along that line of thought.

      “Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each man gainst his own bosom. Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an Americans.-“Tench Coxe

  3. Thank you Mr Sheriff Daniels. It is people like you that Makes America Great! We need to run the Antifa (bunch of cowards) and all the Liberal scumbags out it the USA. God Bless America and our President Donald J Trump.

  4. Thank you Mr Sheriff Daniels. It is people like you that Makes America Great! We need to run the Antifa (bunch of cowards) and all the Liberal scumbags out it the USA. God Bless America and our President Donald J Trump.

  5. Smart move by the Sheriff. They won’t have a single anarchist or looter in his county. The criminals go where they know its easy to get away with what they want to do.

  6. Unless there is a 12+ mile spillover from the Republican National Convention in August, I don’t think he’s going to have much need for a call to arms. But they are having elections in Clay County next month also.

  7. I hope anyone participating in this program insures that they are covered under the “qualified immunity” doctrine afforded government officials and that the county officially indemnifies all volunteers. It would also be advisable to check with any insurance carrier about your liability coverage in these circumstances.

  8. Hallelujah! After the lambasting the pink shirt couple got (sadly much of it from the so-called POTG) I’m happy to see a real American sheriff! We had rioting & looting in my town. NO ONE stood up to scum except citizen’s with GUNS.

    • Agreed. People type all kinds of tough here.

      Then when someone actually fights back their inner “cuck” comes out and they bash them.

      • People here are solidly supportive of clearly self defense gun uses. The convenience store clerk just this week for example.

        The break comes when the specific example does not ring true as a self defense gun use. Such as the two ambulance chasers stepping out of their huge mansion with the AR and the mose gun. They were under no threat. Even so, had they taken up a position that made some good sense, such as on their balcony and leaving their own front door locked instead of wide open as they did, that would have been a positive action.

        But out on the greass, away from their open front door, barefoot and her pointing her mouse gun at absolutely every passerby?

        They are lucky that no one in that crowd was as bad as they feared.

  9. I’m of no particular opinion on this since I don’t really get the point.

    I guess my question is what actually happens if he does this? I’m guessing that the major upshot is that it changes the status of the person in regards to the legalities of carry (being as restrictive as they are in Florida)?

    • strych9,

      There are two important points:
      1) Deputized volunteers can openly carry visible firearms in public.
      2) The number of sworn officers + deputized volunteers = HUGE

      Florida forbids open carry of handguns and long guns in public unless you are hunting or fishing. Obviously deputized volunteers would not be hunting nor fishing so they would have no way to carry long guns (even on a sling over their back) without violating Florida law. If the Sheriff deputizes volunteers, I am pretty confident that they would then be able openly carry visible firearms without violating Florida law.

      Having a HUGE number of righteous defenders is paramount for two reasons. First, there are not enough sworn law enforcement officers to stand next to every monument, statue, and business. Second, a few dozen deputies are not an intimidating number of defenders. Two or three THOUSAND righteous defenders, on the other hands, is an extremely intimidating number and should go a LONG way to discouraging violent rioting, looting, and even targeting law enforcement.

      • I figured it’s mainly the OC thing. Florida’s laws on guns outright suck. The last time we vacationed there I realized it would probably be the last until those laws changed significantly.

        How Florida ever got the nickname “Gunshine State” is entirely beyond me. But… Texas is the same way and good fucking luck convincing most Texans of this fact.

        • I’ve traveled enough both nationally and internationally to know that neither Texas or Florida’s gun laws “suck”. Sure, there is lots of room for improvement, but compared to foreign countries like Haiti, Germany, California, England, Mexico, and New Jersey, just to name a few, we are very well off when it comes to protecting our natural right to keep and bear arms.

          Both states are also diverse as they are large. In Texas, some counties are referred to as “far east California” with disdain by most Texans. Other counties could count their left leaning residents on one hand. I imagine Florida is similar, with some of their cities acting like suburbs of NYC.

          good on that Sheriff. We need more like him.

        • 56 countries on six continents here plus somebisland nations to boot. Comparing any US state’s, gun laws to foreign countries is both apples to oranges and a strawman.

          Further, comparing them to one of the worst states in the Union is dishonest at best. Being better than total shit isn’t something to brag about. The citizens of both states should be incensed that you’d attempt to give them such a participation trophy.

          They should, instead, stop bragging about how awesome they are and try to actually be better. That’s something that requires that they drop the pretense of being on the forefront of greatness to begin with.

        • I’ve never found too much to complain about regarding firearm laws in Florida (native- 52 years). Could be better of course, but far from repressive. My CWP will have its 30th anniversary next year, and open carry is permitted on all private property (property owner’s choice). Having had a weapon on my person in public for 30 years, I’ve not given much thought as to whether it was concealed or not- it was there regardless.

          I always check the gun laws of destinations I wish to travel to for any untenable restrictions- mainly because I’m not used to experiencing any here in Florida. I rarely feel “disarmed” here (federal property, gov’t bldg’s, courtrooms, jails, secured areas of airports excluded), and I make a point of avoiding places that attempt to leave me defenseless.

        • Peter:

          Here’s the problem. Both states are thought of, and often spoken of in the MSM, as “wild west” type states. This is a narrative that cuts against us.

          IRL both are significantly less permissive about the carry of a handgun than other states that POTG regularly complain about as being restrictive for guns.

          Given the last few cycles you could call Colorado and New Mexico “blue” yet both are leaps and bounds better than “church of the holy sidearm” states that are routinely touted both by POTG and the MSM.

          You can OC on your property? Wooooo dat 2A respect! In blue-ass Colorado you can do that in the grocery store and without an LTC to boot.

          I’ve even had a guy from Texas yell at me about OC and how I need an LTC to do it. Uh, no, ’cause you’re not in Texas anymore. Here, you can OC wothout a license and your little dog can too, my pretty! Shit, I sometimes do it when I shop for groceries and no one cares.

      • This I can get behind. That makes it all make sense. Thank you for clearing that up.

        I was equating the chaz version of anyone armed becomes police to this. However, there will still be a lot of dumb shit going on from newly “deputized” casuals. I hope there exists a requirement for a lot of training at least. Never been a fan of the “defund” movement, even though there is a discussion for police misconduct (and always will be no matter how big or small it is), you cannot solve the problem by defunding and reducing the numbers.

        • Which is it, cops are trained or not trained. You can’t have it both ways. The argument on the street is that cops are not trained, but yet, to assist the police you must have police training. Come on. Many academies are 26 weeks. When I went on my first tour overseas for Uncle Sam I had about 13. How many did you have? We also had various in service training prior to my subsequent tours. To say that citizens are not qualified to assist the Sheriffs Department is pure ignorance. Clay County and Northeast Florida is home to the largest National Guard reservation in the country and also home to three other military installations. There are literally tens of thousands of active duty, retired and veterans in our area. Pajama boy, you should get the facts before you start spewing your ignorant crap.
          Now take 5 seconds and tell us what you do know.

        • I was active duty. I know all about the national guard and their “training”.

          And yes you can’t have it both ways. there are plenty of untrained cops, and there are plenty of special team members that are very trained.

          There needs to be more training.

      • don’t recall a single gun being visible when we got involved in all of that…although i’m sure there were plenty available…someone came to our house…knocked on our door…and politely asked us to place small identifying stickers on our car bumpers…then my old man told me to go down to the court house and get a gun permit…something few had up to that point…and was somewhat shocked to see them handing them out like candy canes…i’ve had mine ever since…we were purely in a reactive mode…and that seemed to suffice…..

  10. No complaint with people protecting their homes and businesses from actual threats or attacks. But this sounds like a publicity stunt. Has that county and its police forces had to deal with any violent protests? Looting” Arson? Any of that?

    I’m familiar with a large county that has multiple Sheriff Posse’s. It became such a problem dealing with idiots and bad actors the new Sheriff had to suspend all Posse’s created by the previous Sheriff and start doing background investigations. Many “Posse Members” lost their status.

      • My brother was in that movie. I mean the Kurt Russel “Tompstone” not the Kevin Costner version.

        Don’t see what that has to do with anything here, but whatever …..

    • Agreed. Someone brought up a good point above though, in Florida, OC is illegale, and this would essentially make it legal for a lot more people. That said, I agree with what you said about some filthy casual and their family all the sudden be given powers to enforce the law… it never plays out well. It’s always corrupt. Always.

  11. Just make shooting looters, arsonists and antifa the same as a shoot the car hijacker law. Best thing to do before things get out of hand is find the perps and lock those worthless ratbassturd punks up.

    • seem to be doing a good job of tracking these people down in Pittsburgh…each day seems to bring a new arrest….surprisingly most of them seem to be local and acted independently…and practically all of them are white…except for the looters, of course….

  12. Clay County, FL is where Lynyrd Skynyrd is from. Also close to the Naval Air Station Jacksonville, so there’s a nice mix of military and good honest country people there.

    • I went to high school in Orange Park, still have lots of friends and family there. I don’t see much likelihood of protests getting out of control. This sheriff is facing a primary election next month with some well financed challengers. That’s more what this is all about.

    • The Van Zant boys grew up about a mile from my home here in Jacksonville (Duval County), but a lot of their music we all know and love is a product of the “Hell House” down in Green Cove Springs (Clay County).

      And yes, Orange Park (Clay County) is very close to NAS Jacksonville (Duval County), but Clay County has their own venerated military representation- Camp Blanding Florida National Guard Joint Training Center.

      One could translate Sheriff Daniel’s statement to (roughly): “Listen here, Mr. Antifa/BLM lawless dog. Lawlessness don’t go around here, Savvy?”

  13. The Sherrif could have added “This is not Seattle.”

    The CHOP incident in Seattle is rapidly becoming the model of how not to handle violent protesters.

    • This. Why not just say he won’t enforce any open carry infringements in his county and grow a backbone instead of trying to make some statement about giving cousin jedidiah a free pass to pull over the rival family.

      • It’s important when you’re involved in something like this to stick to a passive but firm mode…you’re not out there to enforce the law…just to protect the neighborhood….

        • Yea, like Gregory McMichael who was an ex leo and Travis McMichael when they chased down and lynched that “jogger”… That is the type of people you are asking random people to trust. No. I won’t. I’m certainly not defending Ahmaud Arbery, but I am saying that people with a “citizens arrest” mindest are just wanna be vigilantes.

  14. The MORE deputized people the MERRIER . . . I’ve been to GUN RANGES and I walked away IMPRESSED. I’ve done pretty good MYSELF. We NEED more Deputized citizenry – it keeps these would be LAWLESS protesters up at night. That’s what the 2nd Amendment is for, to keep Tyrannical governments at bay and to STOP the CRIMINAL element (which is what these Lawless protesters ARE). Only an IDIOT SNOWFLAKE would think OTHERWISE. I’m NOT bowing the knee to ANYONE except Jesus Christ, and the ONLY shoes I’m shining (except, of course, some little youngster who doesn’t know how) is MY OWN. NO PC crowd HERE! Otherwise, go to Venezuela and LIVE there. One Enlightened Patriot. Team Trump and his allies 2020.

  15. This is my kind of sheriff. He has the kind of foresight that will be necessary when the streets get muddy. He lives in the real world where preparations are essential to success. The greatest experiment in freedom and liberty does not deserve to end with the threats of violence from ignorant and disturbed people. These proposed deputies are Not suggested as the solution To our current problems of lawlessness but as a stopgap so problems of misdirected education, fatherless families, immorality and failure to take responsibility and numerous other influences can be addressed. Success is not someone else’s problem, especially not the government’s but must be achieved by each of us individually. Major ataboys to you Sheriff!

  16. The thin blue line weenie gets taken pretty deep here. This is not a good thing. Would you want that neighbor who’s being a dick about your grass touching their fence and always citing some city code to all the sudden wiggle his way into a deputy position? It’s one thing to ignore the infringements on the second amendment in that county, it’s another thing and a legal nightmare not to mention abuse of power nightmare to start deputizing every filthy casual that walks in with a good shot group.

    • TBH, I’d much rather see a bunch of “Culdesac Caucasians” (the armed couple in seattle) than a bunch of untrained “deputies”. I was never for the “defund” movement, because you can’t just solve the discussion of police misconduct by reducing numbers, no matter how big or small that misconduct is, but this is also NOT the answer. Hard pill to swallow because all most of us want is a sense of normality back. In all fairness, police should receive MORE funding and MORE/BETTER TRAINING much more frequently. Then, if you want to hire more people, sure. It’s really no win. You are either pro freedom, or you support some form of infringements. The middle is very blurry.

    • think you have to develop a little faith in your fellow man…most folks are good and decent and will act appropriately when called upon to do so…..

  17. You know I follow this sight a lot never making a comment. As an ex-Police Captain I can state very accurately that most of these comments are pure B.S. That Sheriff knows he can’t do what he stated. It’s totally impossible and most of you should know that yet your arguing like a bunch of ten year old’s. Not all officers are great shots most are not. I’ve served with officers I was afraid to have as back ups and because of my rank I re-directed them when I could. The good old boy syndrome kept me from firing them and is still alive today. I’ve had more 99 hole targets than can be imagined. Not to bad except I only fired 50 rounds. Most Police officers only shoot their weapons upon qualifying and that’s not enough. Fortunately for myself I took up reloading at a young age. So I shot often. Now in no way am I to put Police Officers down. They’re humans after all,

  18. Off subject, but after reading all the comments, maybe there should be some training time dedicated to spelling, sentance structure and grammer? Just saying, It’s hard to get your point across when someone can’t spell.

    • Wally1:
      My spelling isn’t so great either. However, there is such a thing as composing the stuff on a word processor (like Microsoft Word) and subjecting it to spell and grammar checks before pasting it into a comments section. But, I don’t think that some of the TTAG commenters really give a damn whether their stuff is coherent and grammatical or not.

    • I totally agree. For example some guy just wrote: ‘sentAnce structure and grammEr’. What should I make from that? 😁

  19. That was the best speech I’ve ever heard thank you for having the peoples back

  20. We can “debate” who’s qualified till November! The people who would deny us our rights and fundamentally change our country into something from a nightmare, are already forming up and arming themselves because they know we’ll be arguing about what we need to do while they’re DOING it! Go for it Sheriff!!!

  21. Pretty obvious this sheriff isn’t after deterring violent protest possibly as much as provoking it. Or as Mayor Daley once gaffed ‘The police aren’t there to create disorder they’re there to preserve it.’. In this case add that true southern throwback taste for good old boy home rule to the point of inhibiting right of assembly/free-speech in his jurisdiction (where I can only assume he thinks he’s also the elected prosecutor, judge, legislature and only qualified defense attorney). Vast majority of protests in past turbulent weeks were peaceful. Those are two other Constitutional rights you also don’t get to keep unless you practice and uphold them, even under adverse threat. Liberal or conservative if you want a hand in your own law enforcement, like a friend says, get trained or take your legal risks and consequences like a man (ok, like a person, ladies actions and rights require responsibility too).

  22. Lake Chetek Wisconsin had the worst tornado they have ever had in Wisconsin. It went through in 2017. Lake Chetek is a small community with a lot of caring people. Almost immediately after the tornado went through, which was late in the afternoon, the looting began. The veterans in Chetek started calling each other, grabbed their rifles, and went out to the path where homes, trailers, buildings, and trees were destroyed. They stood guard until the next morning when a lot of Police arrived, and set up road blocks. If you could not prove you belonged there, you didn’t get through. They thanked the guards for their help, and sent them home. The Sheriff probably has something like this in mind.

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