City of Orlando, OPD work to crack down on social media threats

ORLANDO, Fla. — Update: The ordinance was approved Monday.

The Orlando Police Department wants to crack down on people who post threats on social media, but a loophole in state law ties the hands of law enforcement who want to arrest those who threaten schools, buildings and even people online.

Orlando city commissioners are working on an ordinance that would make it possible for police to arrest even more people who threatened schools online.

Commissioners plan to take up the proposed ordinance Monday that would amend the disorderly conduct ordinance.

Orlando police and city commissioners were working on the measure before the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where 17 students and teachers died last week.

“We are not messing around. We are going to put someone in handcuffs if they are making these threats on social media,” said Orlando Police Chief John Mina.

Florida law states that if someone makes a false threat regarding a person on social media, they can be arrested for the hoax, but if they make a threat intending to shoot up a school online, that is not a crime. To violate the law, the threat has to be sent directly to the alleged victims or their families to be a crime.

Right now, the state legislature is trying to close that gap, but that will take time to get through the House and Senate.

Cox Media Group