Deputy Investigations Editor
“I don’t care that this is being done by a GOP Sheriff,” U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz said on Twitter, referencing Sheriff Chris Nocco’s intelligence program.
A national public interest firm is representing the plaintiffs, who allege their First, Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights were infringed upon.
A Senate panel added the provision into a controversial bill addressing parental rights.
The group, which had given the district more than $1 million in grants, called the practice of providing student data to police “contrary” to its values.
Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco paid nearly $15,000 in campaign funds last year to a firm run by one of his subordinates. The staffer also has new business ties to the sheriff’s wife, corporate records show.
Prompted by a Tampa Bay Times investigation into the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the bill seeks greater transparency for intelligence-led police work.
The school district shares student data with the Sheriff’s Office, which uses it to identify potential future criminals.
Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco built a controversial data-driven approach to policing. He also built a wide circle of powerful friends who don’t question his tactics.
Parents and teachers demanded reviews into the Sheriff’s Office program. Some called for it to be canceled.
The organizations are considering legal action or advocacy campaigns in response to a Tampa Bay Times investigation.
