Osceola deputies ready to assist in Tallahassee if riots form

Osceola Sheriff said he had about 56 of his deputies volunteer to go

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez said he has deputies ready, waiting to be deployed to Tallahassee, should they be needed.

He told News 6 they could get word as early as Friday, to be sent to support law enforcement at the capitol.

“We’re sending our Emergency Response Team, our ERT Unit, 12 of them, to go up and assist in however they can,” Lopez said.

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Lopez said his deputies are ready to help law enforcement in Leon County this weekend, should there be any unrest ahead of President-Elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.

He said the Florida Sheriff’s Association reached out to his office at the request of the Leon County Sheriff.

That’s when Lopez said he had about 56 of his deputies volunteer to go.

He added that the 12 selected would serve as a support unit.

Meanwhile, just today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of Florida said the FBI arrested a Tallahassee man, Daniel Baker, for inciting violence.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Baker threatened to kidnap or injure protesters at the capital and said he issued a call to arms for other like-minded people to confront protesters.

As to the threat of unrest locally in Osceola County, Sheriff Lopez told News 6 they haven’t been alerted to anything.

He said they are prepared with more deputies and detectives out patrolling.


About the Author:

Lauren Cervantes was born and raised in the Midwest but calls Florida her second home. She joined News 6 in August 2019 as a reporter.

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