New law requires Florida sheriff's offices and subdivisions to have custody exchange positions

POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – A new Florida law seeks to protect victims of domestic violence by codifying a long-standing practice: exchanging custody in police parking lots.

“We truly believe in the safety of everyone,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

According to Judd, most custody transfers are peaceful and eventful.

“But occasionally we experience that the family simply cannot stand each other and therefore a safe exchange is necessary,” he said.

Polk County substations already have safe handover areas, both for children and for sales.

The new law, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in early June, requires every sheriff's office and subdivision in Florida to have the designated areas.

You must have a purple light or sign to mark the location of the safe custody transfer point.

It must be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, have adequate lighting and a continuously recording surveillance camera system.

“Make sure there are no bad words and no ugly arguments because if that happens, we will put you in jail and have it recorded on video,” Judd said.

“We see all kinds of power and control come to the fore in these interactions,” said Mindy Murphy, president and CEO of The Spring of Tampa Bay, the state-certified comprehensive domestic violence center in Hillsborough County.

Murphy said victims and their children often find themselves in dangerous situations during the custody transfer process.

In her opinion, just because a couple separates does not mean the abuse ends.

“I think the law exacerbates that by providing a well-lit, fenced-off area monitored by cameras 24 hours a day,” Murphy said.

Despite the cameras, lights and police nearby, Murphy advises survivors to be aware of their surroundings and listen to their gut in all interactions.

The new law also states that sheriff's offices are exempt from any civil liability for anything that happens at these locations.