Rep. Anna Paulina Luna assists in drug bust, two arrests during police ride-along

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., collaborated with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Corrections for a ride-along Tuesday night and assisted with a drug bust and two arrests.

According to Luna’s office, the representative reached out to the sheriff’s office and collaborated with the department of corrections to “see first hand” what law enforcement officers go through day to day.

“Having the opportunity to ride along with the Florida Department of Corrections was an eye opening experience,” Luna said. “I got to see firsthand how local LEOs operate in my district. I stood right on the front lines as they searched the offenders homes and saw just how dangerous the job can be as we found fentanyl, crack, meth, oxy, and open needles.”

Luna said with the help of the sheriff’s office, they were able to arrest two offenders who she said violated their parole.

“The work these men and women do to keep our streets safe does not go unnoticed and I am very grateful that Florida’s 13th congressional district has such brave officers protecting the community each and every day,“ the representative said.

Luna posted on Instagram that it was a “long night but well worth it. We have wonderful people protecting our community.”

In another Instagram post, Luna said that “rolling up on Fentanyl was pretty scary” and gave a shout out to “all the officers working in Narcotics,” and said those officers “need to be paid more.”

Communications director for the Department of Corrections Ted Veerman told Florida’s Voice the department is “grateful” to Luna, for coming out and seeing what probation officers are doing “on the ground day in and day out.”

“We support her in Congress fighting for first responders and law enforcement,” Veerman said.