Parents could face charges if their kids participate in destructive ‘teen takeovers’, Florida sheriff vows

Not on his turf. 

A no-nonsense Florida sheriff is putting rowdy teens – and their parents – on notice, warning that destructive “teen takeover” chaos won’t fly in his county this summer. 

“So there’s a new TikTok trend…takeovers, going into restaurants, trashing places, meeting up, driving crazy,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a PSA video released last week. 

“Listen, that is not going to work in Polk County.”

Judd advised that kids who turn summer fun into criminal mischief won’t be the only ones facing legal repercussions.  

“There’s a whole lot of laws that not only hold juveniles responsible…but parents responsible for your children’s conduct,” the hardline sheriff said, and floated the idea of imposing “juvenile curfews.” 

With summer around the corner, “we want kids to have a good time and a fun time – they worked hard in school this year,” Judd continued. 

However, “we don’t want them to start next year with a criminal arrest record.”

“I guarantee you: they start cutting a fool, tearing up people’s businesses, fighting in the streets, we’re going to light them up – all of them,” Judd vowed. 

“And then momma and daddy, if you don’t hold them accountable personally – make sure they’re home when they need to be – then we’re gonna come lock you up too, or charge you civilly,” the sheriff vowed. 

“Parents, hold your children accountable so we don’t have to,” he warned. 

The sheriff’s fiery caution came nearly two weeks after Tampa police arrested 22 people, ages 12 to 21, during a “teen takeover” event at Curtis Hixon Park that reportedly sparked fights and disrupted traffic. 

Only four of those arrestees were over 18. 

Charges in the melee included affray – or public fighting – narcotics possession, unlawful weapon possession and resisting arrest, according to Fox 13. Cops also seized two firearms and a vehicle from the chaotic scene. 

Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw blamed the viral “teen takeover” craze that’s catapulted across the country in recent months – while also pointing a finger at oblivious parents. 

“Parents need to know where their children are and who they are with,” Bercaw said, according to Fox. 

“Unfortunately, the poor decisions made by these 22 individuals…could have lasting consequences that follow them well into adulthood.

“This type of reckless and criminal behavior will not be tolerated in our city,” the chief continued. “What began as a large gathering quickly escalated into disorder and activity that placed others at risk.”

Earlier this month, one of the of the year’s wildest “teen takeover” scenes exploded inside a packed Washington, DC, Chipotle, where screaming teens were caught on camera throwing chairs, brawling and sending horrified customers scrambling for safety.

And in March, hundreds of teens flooded DC’s trendy Navy Yard neighborhood, overwhelming the area with fights, robberies and gunfire – even despite a newly established juvenile curfew zone.

Public officials and law enforcement across the country have warned that the viral trend – which typically works by takeover events being promoted on social media – shows little sign of slowing down as summer approaches.