Florida State Attorney Monique Worrell, law enforcement at odds over arrest warrant policy
Sheriff pushes back against state attorney's policy on warrants
State Attorney Monique Worrell has implemented a new policy requiring law enforcement to either make an arrest or issue a notice to appear in court before submitting a case to her office for prosecution. As the policy takes effect, law enforcement agencies are evaluating its impact.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Florida State Attorney Monique Worrell announced Thursday that her office would no longer accept law enforcement cases for prosecution that do not include an arrest or cases that have not already entered the court system, essentially challenging officers, deputies, and detectives to build better cases before submitting them to her office.
Worrell said her office is dealing with a backlog of thousands of "non-arrest" cases because those cases are less prioritized than ones where an arrest has been made.
The new policy has received push back from the Orange County Sheriff's Office and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.
Worrell was suspended by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2023 because DeSantis felt she was not tough enough on crime or violent offenders. Andrew Bain was appointed to replace Worrell. Worrell then defeated Bain in the November 2024 election to reclaim her role as State Attorney of the Ninth Judicial Circuit.
Video: State Attorney Monique Worrell press conference on backlog of cases
State Attorney Monique Worrell to stop accepting non-arrest cases
State Attorney Monique Worrell said Thursday that her office will stop accepting non-arrest cases due to a backlog of cases that have yet to be prosecuted, as arrest cases -- those involving someone who has been arrested already -- get prioritized. Worrell and a law enforcement detective then discussed why law enforcement is unable to arrest someone at a particular moment, and alternative options to get a case into the court system.
State Attorney Monique Worrell has implemented a new policy requiring law enforcement to either make an arrest or issue a notice to appear in court before submitting a case to her office for prosecution. The policy, which took effect this week, aims to address a backlog of 13,500 non-arrest cases that have been delayed because arrest cases take priority, she said.
Orange County Sheriff's Office: ‘We are not supportive of the policy'
What we know:
During the press conference, State Attorney Worrell said there were alternative ways for officers, deputies, and detectives to either make an arrest or get a case into the court system, such as issuing a mandatory court summons.
FOX 35 reached out to several law enforcement agencies in Central Florida to see if they approved or disapproved of the new policy, since law enforcement and the state attorney's offices often work together on a variety of cases.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office said it disagrees with the policy and that it would continue to submit cases to the State Attorney's Office.
What they're saying:
"The Orange County Sheriff’s Office received notice of the new policy last week and we do have some concerns. We asked the State Attorney’s Office to pause on the new policy so we could address those concerns, but the SAO declined and said they were moving forward with the new policy," OCSO said in a statement.
"We are not supportive of the policy in its current form as it could deny prosecution in some domestic violence and firearms cases and deny justice to some victims of those crimes. To ensure the safety of our residents and visitors, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office intends to continue sending misdemeanor, non-arrest cases to the State Attorney’s Office when appropriate. We would welcome the opportunity for true collaboration in this matter."
Florida's Republican Attorney General James Uthmeier also weighed-in late Thursday in a post on X, targeting Worrell, a Democrat.
"Prosecutors play a vital role in keeping the community safe and pursuing justice, and Soros-backed prosecutors do not have the right to put Floridians at risk. The blanket policies announced by Monique Worrell are contrary to the essential duties of a prosecutor," he said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
"As Attorney General, state law gives me general supervisory authority of State Attorney Worrell's office, and I will direct my office to review her policies and their impact on public safety."
What we don't know:
It remains unclear how this policy will impact case processing times or whether it will lead to fewer cases being prosecuted. The response from other law enforcement agencies in Orange and Osceola counties is still pending. Additionally, it is uncertain whether any adjustments or compromises will be made to address concerns raised by law enforcement.
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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Office of the State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida, and the Orange County Sheriff's Office.