Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey has made a name for himself as an outspoken conservative Trump supporter with “tough-on-crime” policies. But that’s not all he’s known for. He also has made a disrespectful GAME out of pursuing suspects!
The disclaimer on Sheriff Ivey’s show “Wheel Of Fugitive” says suspects are innocent until proven guilty – but he’s still broadcasting their faces, and accusations against them, to an audience. In addition to that, the entire premise feeds into a dangerous notion we must reject.
Policing is not a game! It’s a deadly public health issue despite Ivey’s twisted behavior. Officers in other departments do similar things, with rituals like cops in California bending their badges to mark their killings or cops in Texas getting gift cards for use of force. This has deep implications.
Some people on Wheel of Fugitive are not even fugitives, and this has happened at least 135 times per a Florida Today news investigation. Ivey’s department is also responsible for the 2020 killing of two Black teens named Angelo Crooms and Sincere Pierce. What does all this say about his judgement?
People sit and sometimes die in jail, “legally innocent” of crimes thanks to pre-trial detention. Corruption is built into the very system that empowers Ivey to play with lives. This is a fundamental problem with policing: it often empowers violence and facilitates injustice.