CULTURE OF INTIMIDATION: Florida sheriff under fire over anti-drug video defends tactics: ‘We don’t negotiate’

In the video shared on Facebook, Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell told heroin drug dealers to “enjoy trying to sleep at night” because his officers were coming for them.

“You can’t negotiate with these drug dealers. They know what they’re doing,” Grinnell said Tuesday on “Fox and Friends.” He added, “They are pushing this poison out on our streets. We need to take a tough stance on it and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Critics seemed to be riled up more by the four agents wearing black hoods and masks standing behind him.

The sheriff, who has been on the job since January, said the agents are working undercover in a “dark and dangerous world” and their identities must be protected.

“But they wanted to be a part of that video,” Grinnell said. “They have a passion to serve. They want to make sure this county is safe so I was proud when they wanted to be on that video.”

Drug criminalization may be even more corrosive to our institutions than drug use can be to individuals.