Three local sheriff’s talked about school safety, sanctuary cities and the 2nd Amendment in a meeting Thursday night before a packed-house of Villagers for Trump at the Rohan Recreation Center.
The April meeting follows the group’s very successful March 25 Trump golf cart parade, the video of which was viewed more than 21,000 times on Villages-News.com.
Villager David Gee acted as the emcee for the night and he introduced Sumter County Sheriff Bill Farmer, Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell and Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods. All three sheriffs gave short talks on steps they were taking to safe guard the school children in their counties in the aftermath of the mass shooting at Parkland high school.
Farmer explained that the schools in his jurisdiction have been hardened by limiting access points. School resource officers are in all high school and middle schools. The Villages Charter School has been outfitted with an automatic lock down system which would make it difficult to harm students. Farmer explained that in the recent past these safeguards were tested when threats occurred.
All three sheriffs have placed officers in both middle and high schools and all three are planning to place officers in elementary schools. They outlined the number of officers they will need in their respective counties and the problems they will have in filling those positions as they will be competing with each other as well as municipal departments for recruits.
The sheriffs fielded questions on a number of sensitive issues. One Villager asked about the issue of sanctuary cities. Farmer answered “we are against them” and then said, “I am glad I do not live in California.” Another Villager asked about the sheriff’s position on the 2nd Amendment and they all responded that they support the right to bear arms.
When asked if another government body came into their county to take citizens guns, what would they do?
Sheriff Woods responded by saying he would tell them to “Get the hell out of my county!” He received thunderous applause.
All three sheriffs pledged their support for the 2nd Amendment.
The next meeting of the Villagers for Trump Club will be May 7 when a number of Republican candidates for state and local office will appear.