In a push to better protect children from sexual predators, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd is teaming up with a federal lawmaker.

On Monday, US Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Lakeland), along with Sheriff Judd, announced the "Protecting Our Children Act." The legislation would allow private employers to polygraph potential employees during the hiring process. The law would apply to businesses that work closely with children.

Rep. Ross and Sheriff Judd worked with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to draft the bill. It amends a previous law from 1988 that doesn’t allow employers to polygraph test potential employees.



"Grady Judd, who’s done a phenomenal job investigating and arresting criminals who are preying on our children, has not got all the tools at his disposal," Ross said. "Because a lot of these people don’t usually get found out through regular background checks that employers are allowed to have."

Last week, the Polk County Sheriff's Office, led a two-county sting that resulted in the arrest of 101 people for child-sex cyber crimes and prostitution.

"These are very dangerous people," Judd said. "And they are after our children."



The bill is not a mandate, however, and employers who choose to polygraph potential employees would be responsible for all of the costs associated with the tests.