HCSO seems for ‘Household Day’ on the State Honest
FOX 13’s Briona Arradondo reviews that “Household Day” on the Florida State Honest introduced many households to the truthful for a enjoyable day on Friday and elevated regulation enforcement to make sure everybody stayed protected.
TAMPA, Fla. – It was a busy Friday evening on the Florida State Honest as households visited Tampa for “Household Day.”
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned they added new security measures to assist maintain everybody protected through the occasion.
Hillsborough County deputies on the State Honest.
Many Hillsborough County Faculties college students get the break day for Household Day of the truthful, giving households just like the Artis household time to spend with their 4 kids.
What they’re saying:
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“We do quite a lot of arts and crafts. We do portray, in order that they have been portray at the moment. They have been drawing at the moment, we additionally cook dinner,” mentioned Stephanie Artis.
Legislation enforcement officers on the State Honest.
Artis, her spouse Michelle, and their kids loved the truthful for a 3rd 12 months, becoming a member of many others within the truthful rides, sights, meals and total surroundings.
There have been additionally 300 regulation enforcement officers.
“It makes us really feel snug. It makes you are feeling protected,” mentioned Michelle Artis, Stephanie’s spouse.
WATCH: ‘Powering on’ the State Honest
Dig deeper:
HCSO mentioned it amplified the presence of its deputies and different regulation enforcement officers with new security measures.
“Yearly, we put extra into it. This 12 months, we’ll have our drone crew out right here. We’ll have drones deployed. We’ll have our mounted enforcement crew. We’ll have our bicycle response crew,” mentioned Col. Anthony Collins with HCSO.
For the final two years, kids below 17 have wanted an grownup with them at evening after 6 p.m. to chop down on dangerous habits. Deputies mentioned 14 folks have been kicked out throughout 2024’s Household Day, down from 56 youngsters in 2023 and 137 in 2022.
Deputies mentioned their group motion groups are an enormous assist.
“Whether or not it’s a pastor, whether or not it’s one of many youth-based packages just like the instructor is right here, the college useful resource deputies who work with the youth day in and time out, they’re right here,” mentioned Collins. “They’ve relationships established already with the youth. I feel it simply speaks volumes, and that’s why we’ve seen these numbers decreased during the last a number of years.”
The backstory:
The coverage modifications got here in 2023 after a jury awarded $15 million in damages to the household of 14-year-old Andrew Joseph III.
Pictured: Andrew Joseph III.
In 2014, Johnson was hit and killed by a automobile on I-4 after deputies kicked him and almost 100 different college students out of the truthful.
READ: Father of scholar hit, killed outdoors truthful asks for stricter guidelines
The courtroom discovered that HCSO was principally at fault in Andrew’s dying.
“We’ve had two folks ejected at the moment, very minor, no arrests,” mentioned Collins.
What’s subsequent:
Deputies hope to maintain it that means with their further presence.
“We felt that. That’s the primary time we noticed them on horses. I’m a previous regulation enforcement officer, in order that’s crowd management. In order that’s a very good look, taking precautions,” mentioned Artis.
Legislation enforcement on the State Honest.
HCSO mentioned they’ve about 1,400 positions staffed all through the whole occasion. The final day for the truthful is Monday, February 17.
The Supply: FOX 13’s Briona Arradondo collected the data on this story.
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