Has Florida Man finally met his match? Meet Florida Sheriff

In this image taken from an undated video posted by the Lee County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Carmine Marceno speaks at a news conference in Fort Myers, Fla. Sheriff Marceno refers to the jailhouse as the “Marceno Motel.” The news conference format has attracted big audiences and most often goes viral. 

Lee County Sheriff’s Office via AP

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — When a naked man in southwestern Florida recently raised a ruckus outside his house and threatened a deputy with a kitchen knife, the SWAT team swooped in and apprehended him.

Soon afterward, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno stood on the man’s driveway in combat gear for a news conference while the suspect went to the jailhouse that the sheriff likes to call the “Marceno Motel.”

“He’s an oxygen-stealer and a scumbag, and I’m glad he’s outta here,” Marceno told reporters. “I’m proud to say that in this county, if you present deadly physical force … we meet you with deadly force every time, and we win. It’s pretty clean, pretty quick.”

The Sunshine State has become internationally notorious for the oddball miscreants who populate its police blotters and local news reports — known collectively as Florida Man. There are murders and mayhem, like anyplace else, and then there are the only-in-Florida incidents like the man charged with assault with a deadly weapon for throwing an alligator through a Wendy’s drive-thru window in Palm Beach County in 2015.

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But an equally eccentric cast of hard-boiled sheriffs make a career of going after these guys. Florida Man, meet Florida Sheriff.

All but one of Florida’s 67 counties have an elected sheriff, and they wield enormous influence in part because they’re often the only countywide elected official. They head agencies that typically patrol unincorporated portions of their county but also provide backup to city police departments and sometimes patrol small cities that lack their own force. Many, like Marceno, hold made-for-YouTube news conferences and use TikTok and other social media — frequently going just as viral as the perpetrators.

Take Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson, in Florida’s Panhandle.

During a recent news conference about a burglary, Johnson, elected in 2016, said a homeowner had fired shots but didn’t hit the suspect. Johnson encouraged that homeowner to take a gun safety course offered every other Saturday at the sheriff’s office so he could better take matters into his own hands.

“Learn to shoot a lot better,” Johnson said. “Save the taxpayers’ money.”

On the Atlantic Coast, near Cape Canaveral, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey makes a game of crime — literally. His weekly ” Wheel of Fugitive ” videos feature the sheriff spinning a wheel with photos of 10 of the county’s most wanted.

In this July 2017 photo, Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey gets ready to spin his popular “Wheel of Fugitive” in Titusville, Fla. The popular videos feature photos of 10 of the county’s most wanted criminals. 

Malcolm Denemark/Florida Today via AP

“Everybody watches it. Even the fugitives watch it” to see who becomes “fugitive of the week,” Ivey said.

The lucky winner of one recent episode was a 32-year-old white male accused of petit theft and failure to appear. The sheriff, first elected in 2012, looked into the camera as if speaking directly to the man and urged him to surrender: “Stop messing up and stop breaking the law. Get all of it behind you.”

The Twitter account of Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco — who has starred in A&E Network’s “Live PD” show — made a splash with local “Sad Criminal of the Day” posts. His agency also copyrighted the now-viral hashtag, #9pmroutine, a reminder to lock car doors and homes every night.

In January, the department cut off social media comments because the accounts fell victim to their success. With over 300,000 Facebook followers — more than double that of much larger Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in nearby Tampa — Nocco said people were too often reporting crimes online rather than calling 911.

Over in central Florida is, perhaps, the highest-profile enemy of Florida Man (and Florida Woman).

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd speaks during a press conference with Gov. Ron DeSantis at the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in Winter Haven, Fla., on, April 19, 2021. 

Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel via AP

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, who constantly targets gangs, drug dealers and prostitution rings in his folksy Southern drawl, has been a frequent hit on TV since he was first elected with no party affiliation in 2005. Judd says of school shooters: “We’re going to shoot you graveyard dead.”

He also has praised homeowners for firing on intruders, including one last December: “He gave him an early Christmas present. Only Santa Claus gets to come in your house,” Judd told a news conference.

In this undated image taken from video and made available by the Polk County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Grady Judd holds a bobblehead of his likeness given to him by his staff. The bobble head and others like it were sold to benefit the Sheriff department charities. Sheriff Judd, with his folksy Southern drawl, uses social media to target drug dealers, prostitution rings, gangs and human traffickers. 

Polk County Sheriff’s Office via AP

Judd often refers to the Polk County Jail as the “Polk Pokey,” and last holiday season, his office sold their version of the popular Elf on the Shelf doll, dubbed Sheriff on a Shelf, and he personally autographed Sheriff Judd bobbleheads.

One of Judd’s latest targets was not exactly the crime of the century. But Judd had plenty to say about a woman accused of assaulting workers at a McDonald’s because her order was wrong.

“She’s a pretty lady. But she was McMad,” Judd said on May 20. “I don’t know if she was two fries short of a Happy Meal, but she created a McMess and acted like a McNut. … This is Polk County. We don’t put up with that McJunk.”

Best police procedurals of all time Best police procedurals of all time

According to Merriam-Webster, a police procedural is “a mystery story written from the point of view of the police investigating the crime.” This broad canvas has sprung an endless amount of shows, books, plays, and films. On television, in particular, the police procedural continues to thrive from one decade to the next. What began with shows like “Dragnet” carries through to recent dramas such as “Bosch” and its spinoff “Bosch: Legacy.”

The most common TV police procedurals examine one case per episode while simultaneously exploring various character arcs. However, this is a somewhat narrow view of the subgenre, which extends well outside the traditional template of shows like “Law & Order” or “Criminal Minds.” In fact, some of the highest-rated procedurals of all time are serial dramas such as “Dexter” or the acclaimed anthology series “True Detective.”

No matter what the paradigm, viewers can expect ongoing character development along with gripping crime investigation. A number of shows pull their stories straight from the headlines, lending certain episodes a bone-chilling degree of verisimilitude. On the flip side of that coin are shows like “Lucifer,” which incorporate supernatural elements into an otherwise familiar milieu.

But which are the best police procedurals of all time? To find out, Stacker looked at all English-language crime TV series released in the U.S. on IMDb with over 10,000 votes and narrowed it down further to police procedurals. From modern reinventions of the police procedural to the traditional greats that created the prototypical procedural formula, these are the top 25 by user rating, with ties broken by votes.

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Universal Network Television #25. The Closer

– IMDb user rating: 7.7

– Years on the air: 2005-2012

Trained by the CIA in the art of interrogation, LA Deputy Police Chief Brenda Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick) cracks stonewalling suspects and impossible cases alike. The show’s strong female lead and humane themes help distinguish it from various counterparts.

Warner Bros. Television #24. Blue Bloods

– IMDb user rating: 7.7

– Years on the air: 2010-present

Former “Magnum, P.I.” star Tom Selleck plays NYPD Commissioner Frank Reagan in this CBS ratings smash. Blending police procedural with interpersonal drama, it centers around a multigenerational family of cops.

CBS Productions #23. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation

– IMDb user rating: 7.7

– Years on the air: 2000-2015

With its kinetic pacing and cinematic visuals, this blockbuster series helped redefine police procedurals for the modern era. The story follows a team of Las Vegas forensics experts as they solve cases by way of advanced scientific analysis. While loaded with inaccuracies, it earned a huge following and spawned multiple spinoffs.

CBS Productions #22. Law & Order

– IMDb user rating: 7.8

– Years on the air: 1990-present

Nearly every episode of this seminal drama dedicates the first half to investigating crimes and the second half to prosecuting them. Many of its stories come straight from the headlines and numerous A-listers have appeared in guest roles. After a long hiatus, it hit the airwaves once again with a 21st season in 2022.

NBC Universal Television #21. NCIS

– IMDb user rating: 7.8

– Years on the air: 2003-present

Coming up on its 20th season, this enduring drama puts a military twist on the police procedural format. It chronicles the Major Case Response Team of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service as they tackle crimes involving Navy or Marine Corps personnel. Mark Harmon leads the ensemble cast and also serves as executive producer.

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CBS Paramount Network Television #20. Bones

– IMDb user rating: 7.8

– Years on the air: 2005-2017

While more comedic than the common police procedural, “Bones” is ultimately no less grim. In each episode, a brainy forensic anthropologist (Emily Deschanel) and a brash FBI agent (David Boreanaz) examine human remains in search of clues to a crime. Their romantic tension makes for a recurring subplot, as do the personal exploits of their respective team members.

20th Century Fox Television #19. Elementary

– IMDb user rating: 7.9

– Years on the air: 2012-2019

This beloved procedural brings Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) into modern times, with Dr. Joan Watson (Lucy Liu) for a partner. Against the backdrop of New York City, the troubled detective solves complex crimes using unorthodox methods.

CBS Television Studios #18. The Rookie

– IMDb user rating: 8.0

– Years on the air: 2018-present

Actor Nathan Fillion followed the series “Castle” with this entertaining crime drama, in which he plays the LAPD’s oldest rookie. Anchored around the persona of its lead, the show interweaves gripping action with witty banter and character-driven comic relief.

ABC Signature #17. Monk

– IMDb user rating: 8.0

– Years on the air: 2002-2009

Few (if any) police procedurals are as tightly tethered to their main protagonist as this one, which ran on the USA Network for eight seasons. Veteran actor Tony Shalhoub plays the title character, a private investigator who suffers from an obsessive-compulsive disorder. Its high-rated finale set a record for the most-watched hour-long episode in cable TV history.

ABC Signature #16. Lie to Me

– IMDb user rating: 8.0

– Years on the air: 2009-2011

This short-lived mystery drama follows body language expert Dr. Cal Lightman (Tim Roth), whose unique skills make him a human lie detector. Its main character is loosely based on the work of real-life researcher Paul Ekman.

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MiddKid Productions #15. Chicago P.D.

– IMDb user rating: 8.1

– Years on the air: 2014-present

This police procedural makes up part of Wolf Entertainment’s One Chicago media franchise and shares a universe with the shows “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago Med.” It brings viewers into the Chicago PD’s Intelligence Unit, where Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) and his team take on the city’s toughest cases. Season 10 premieres in September 2022.

Universal Television #14. Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

– IMDb user rating: 8.1

– Years on the air: 1999-present

The longest-running live-action series in the history of primetime TV takes place in New York City and tackles crimes of a sexual nature. True to the “Law & Order” format, most episodes divide their time between investigation and prosecution. Stars such as Mariska Hargitay, Richard Belzer, Christopher Meloni, and Ice-T have been with the cast for over two decades.

Universal Network Television #13. Castle

– IMDb user rating: 8.1

– Years on the air: 2009-2016

Bestselling mystery writer Rick Castle (Nathan Fillion) becomes a real-world crime-solver in this ABC dramedy. He and homicide detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) make for an unlikely team as they investigate New York City’s most unusual cases. Their fraught partnership turns to friendship—and eventually to romance as the seasons progress.

ABC Signature #12. The Mentalist

– IMDb user rating: 8.1

– Years on the air: 2008-2015

Aussie actor Simon Baker plays fraudulent psychic turned crime consultant Patrick Jane in this mystery drama series. A gifted observer and manipulator, Jane helps the California Bureau of Investigation solve cases while searching for the man who murdered his family. “This role is tailor-made for Baker,” wrote TV critic Barry Garron for The Hollywood Reporter.

Warner Bros. Television #11. Criminal Minds

– IMDb user rating: 8.1

– Years on the air: 2005-2020

This gripping procedural chronicles an elite team of FBI profilers as they try to decipher a criminal’s next move. A ratings smash for CBS, it spawned a media franchise and outlasted two spinoffs before concluding its 15th and final season. Paramount+ is reportedly developing a 10-episode revival along with a true-crime docuseries based on real-life profilers.

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Paramount Network Television #10. Lucifer

– IMDb user rating: 8.1

– Years on the air: 2016-2021

A fantasy-based departure from the traditional procedural, this supernatural drama presents the fallen angel Lucifer (Tom Ellis) as its crime-solving protagonist. It’s based on a DC Comics character co-created by legendary writer Neil Gaiman. After debuting on Fox, it migrated over to Netflix for the final three seasons.

Jerry Bruckheimer Television #9. The Killing

– IMDb user rating: 8.3

– Years on the air: 2011-2014

This serial mystery loosely adapts the Danish TV series “Forbrydelsen” and draws occasional comparisons to “Twin Peaks.” Part crime drama and part character study, it follows two homicide detectives (Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman) on a series of murder investigations. It survived two separate cancellations on AMC before concluding on Netflix with a fourth season.

Fox Television Studios #8. Psych

– IMDb user rating: 8.4

– Years on the air: 2006-2014

The first season of this USA crime dramedy was the most-watched new show on basic cable in 2006. It tells the story of a pseudo-psychic (James Roday) and his business partner (Dulé Hill), who must maintain their ruse if they want to keep working with the Santa Barbara PD. A 2017 feature film picked up three years after the series finale and rolled out to rave reviews.

NBC Universal Television #7. Bosch

– IMDb user rating: 8.5

– Years on the air: 2014-2021

Based on Michael Connelly’s long-running book series, this taut police drama revolves around LAPD homicide detective Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver). Straight-faced and insubordinate, Bosch overcomes various challenges in his pursuit of justice. It hit its stride starting in the second season and held a 100% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes each season ever since.

Amazon Studios #6. Bosch: Legacy

– IMDb user rating: 8.6

– Years on the air: 2022-present

While technically a spinoff of “Bosch,” this series is really more of a continuation on the ad-supported Freevee streaming service. After quitting the LAPD, the titular character takes on the life of a private investigator. It employs the same no-frills style as its predecessor and has been renewed for a second season.

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Amazon Studios #5. Homicide: Life on the Street

– IMDb user rating: 8.7

– Years on the air: 1993-1999

Former crime reporter (and future “The Wire” creator) David Simon spent a year with the Baltimore PD when writing the book on which this police drama was based. It similarly takes a no-frills approach to the hard work performed by city homicide detectives. Seven seasons were followed by a made-for-TV movie.

NBC Studios #4. Dexter

– IMDb user rating: 8.7

– Years on the air: 2006-2013

A natural born serial killer, Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) targets others of his kind in this iconic Showtime procedural. It brings the city of Miami to life in signature color and counterbalances dark subject matter with occasional comic relief. The story continues with a 2021 reboot called “Dexter: New Blood.”

John Goldwyn Productions #3. True Detective

– IMDb user rating: 8.9

– Years on the air: 2014-2019

This HBO anthology series captured the zeitgeist with its heralded first season, in which two detectives (Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey) hunt for a serial killer. Each subsequent season examined a different crime story to somewhat uneven results. A fourth season is currently in development with Jodie Foster attached.

HBO Entertainment #2. Sherlock

– IMDb user rating: 9.1

– Years on the air: 2010-2017

This award-winning BBC crime drama features Benedict Cumberbatch in a breakout role as the famous detective. It updates the setting to modern-day London and co-stars Martin Freeman as Watson. “The appeal is elementary: good, unpretentious fun,” wrote critic Mike Hale for The New York Times.

BBC Wales #1. The Wire

– IMDb user rating: 9.3

– Years on the air: 2002-2008

David Simon’s masterful series exists in a class of its own and bears scant resemblance to the standard procedural. Set in Baltimore, it depicts the disastrous war on drugs from all conceivable angles. So goes one of the most comprehensive and authentic sociological tapestries in the history of television.

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Home Box Office (HBO)

Anderson reported from St. Petersburg, Florida.

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