Joe Henderson: Matt Gaetz has a great point about Pasco policing

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The residents of hell better brace for an ice storm because (I can’t believe I’m saying this) Matt Gaetz has a great point.

Gov. Ron DeSantis should take a hard look at Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco and even consider removing him from office. It’s over Nocco’s stubborn use of a policy known by some as “predictive policing.”

The intent, Nocco says, is to stop crime before it happens. However, the execution of that intent is straight out of Big Brother meets the KGB and eerily reminiscent of the early 2000s Tom Cruise hit “Minority Report.”

The Tampa Bay Times first reported on the practice last September.

“I don’t care that this is being done by a GOP Sheriff,” Gaetz tweeted. “It’s awful to harass citizens because you think they may commit crimes, hoping to ‘make their lives miserable.’ Gov. Ron DeSantis has the authority to remove Chris Nocco and should consider doing so.”

Basically, Nocco’s office has a system that identifies those it believes are more likely to commit crimes. Maybe they had trouble in school or were red-flagged for relatively minor offenses.

Either way, it can trigger aggressive intervention, but how they get there is a little murky.

In December, the Pasco County Council PTA demanded more information about the program. Parents and teachers say they don’t receive a notification when a student goes on the “at-risk” list. The Times reported last November that list includes 420 high school and middle school students.

Once you’re on the list, it’s hard to get off.

Deputies often show up to those targeted multiple times a week for months on end. They don’t have a search warrant or probable cause. These visits can be aggressive.

They harass not only the targeted individuals but also their friends and family members. When asked why they’re doing this, deputies clarify they’re following orders from the top guy, Nocco.

A federal lawsuit filed last week in Tampa alleges the practice “punishes people for crimes they have not committed and may never commit.”

Nocco’s office disagrees and calls the practice “intelligence policing.”

“Far from being a predictive policing program that focuses on future crimes that someone may commit, the prolific offender program and the at-risk youth program are focused on serving our community,” a Pasco Sheriff’s statement said.

Stop right there.

This is what you expect in Russia or China. You didn’t do anything wrong, but Pasco believes you might, and that’s all the reason it needs. We don’t do that in this country.

Gaetz apparently agrees, but the Sheriff does not.

“This tweet is based on false information and reporting, and we welcome anyone with concerns to reach out to us directly to receive factual information,” spokeswoman Amanda Hunter told the Times.

Nocco, who took office in 2011, is highly popular in deep-red Pasco. DeSantis likely would face a serious backlash if he did what Gaetz suggests. Even if the Governor believes the program is wrong, he likely would prefer the courts have the final say.

Besides, an election is around the corner. Can’t be too careful.

It wouldn’t hurt, though, for the Governor and Nocco to chat. Maybe they could have a little refresher course on constitutional rights.

Whatever its intent, this program tramples on those, and, amazingly, the good Sheriff can’t see that. Pasco’s attitude seems to be that the ends justify the harassment.

As Gaetz said, though, some things are just wrong.

When he’s right, he’s right.