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How a Jail Transformed a
Traditional Sheriff’s Perspective
Tom KnighT
When I first worked as a street cop in Florida at the
age of 23, the harassment of homeless people wasn’t just
accepted, it was expected. When I transferred to the Florida
Highway Patrol a year later, I was taught to profile minor-
Above: Sheriff Tom Knight’s innovative
jail recovery programs were reported on ity drivers on traffic stops. Twenty years later, I was elected
by Geraldo Rivera of Fox News. sheriff of Sarasota County, a position that I held for 12 years.
AMERICANJails MAY | JUNE 2021 | 15
