The Flagler Beach Police Department is currently under investigation by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office over a potentially wrongful arrest, the FBPD confirmed on Friday. Chief Matt Doughney announced that he’d invited the investigation proactively ‘in the interest of transparency’.
The arrest in question occurred on Sunday, March 2nd. Jeffrey Gray was reportedly standing on the sidewalk outside the Funky Pelican restaurant, a popular beach-side business adjacent to the Flagler Beach Pier. He was shown in images from the incident with a sign that said ‘God Bless the Homeless Vets’. He was reportedly carrying a firearm in his pocket.
The Potentially Illegal Arrest
Employees of the Funky Pelican are said to have called the police about a man who wouldn’t move from the sidewalk in front of their business. “I’d like him trespassed please,” she said. “He’s harassing all of our guests.” The caller told the dispatcher that the man appeared to be homeless. The FBPD responded and requested that Gray move. He wouldn’t. Records show that on Sunday at 11:38 am Gray was booked into the county jail having been charged with armed trespassing. He posted $2,500 bond and was released at 3:18 pm.
Video of the arrest depicts Gray asserting his right to stand on a public sidewalk and refuse to provide identification. Both stances are legally sound; in the absence of reasonable suspicion of a crime the city has no grounds to trespass someone from public grounds and citizens have the right to refuse to give identification. “What he’s doing is not technically breaking any laws,” the officer is heard saying to restaurant staff. “But I’ll try to get him out [of here].” The officer attempted to convince Gray to move willingly, which he refused to do.
Gray has posted a video to his YouTube channel documenting the arrest from his perspective.
The issue with the arrest is that Gray did not appear to be violating any laws with his conduct. There’s currently no indication that he was illegally carrying a firearm (the .380-caliber gun is legal to own with or without a permit), and he was standing on a public sidewalk engaging in constitutionally-protected free speech. The Seventh Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office declined to prosecute Gray based on the available facts and evidence.
Rights and Accountability
According to Doughney’s report, Flagler Beach City Manager Dale Martin is moving to require training for all city staff to familiarize them with citizens’ rights, as well as the duties and boundaries adhered to by public employees. The move may or may not be beneficial in a potential lawsuit from this latest arrest, but it could shield the city from future litigation. City Attorney Drew Smith is engaged in the case and working to prevent an escalation against the city in court.
It does not appear that Gray is a stranger to encounters with law enforcement in which their legal authority comes under question. Gray operates the YouTube channel ‘HonorYourOath Civil Rights Investigations’, on which he proclaims himself to be a civil rights investigator and an auditor of both the First and Second amendments to the Constitution. His content has routinely amassed hundreds of thousands of views per video, mostly documenting law enforcement having their scope of authority questioned directly.
Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly has questioned Gray’s methodology in the past, as reported by the Palm Coast Observer. “The proper place to dispute a traffic charge is not on social media, where he gets paid to have his videos out there, but in the court system,” Staly was quoted as having said. In that incident, Gray was shown to have given an FCSO deputy the middle finger.
Jeff
March 9, 2025 at 2:50 pm
The Flagler Police Department has been hiring scumbags who have been terminated from other departments for years. There needs to be an internal investigation into the City’s hiring practices along with the City Police Chief. The city hired officer Michael Schoenbrod who had been fired from the Daytona Police Department for locking his 3 year old son in a jail cell for accidentally soiling himself when he was potty training him. Yes, that is the kind of scum the city places to serve our community. Yes, the Chief knew along with the city prior to his hire. Someone who bullies there own kid shouldn’t be enforcing the law. The Chief can’t be trusted to hire or fire anyone.
Roland
March 9, 2025 at 8:35 pm
Jeff Gray’s claim to fame that started his career was a viral video where he tied a ziplock bag to the exterior drivers mirror of his vehicle and drove through DUI checkpoints. He asserted that he did not have to roll down his window where any officers would detect the impurities of alcohol on his breath, listen to slurred speech or have glassy eyes with digital gaze nystagmus. Funny hearing him say “I don’t give out my ID – I don’t feel comfortable giving my personal ID to strangers(the police.)
He is just a mouse trying to be a rat with a specific anti-police agenda. He is not a First Amendment auditor or a civil rights activist. Gray is a physically unhealthy and psychologically unhealthy person who gets their jollies and money by instigating situations and trying to get falsely arrested. He a mouse trying to be a rat with a specific anti-police agenda. He is not a First Amendment auditor or a civil rights activist. Gray is a physically and psychologically unhealthy person who gets his jollies and money by instigating situations and trying to get falsely arrested. His illness causes him to receive a sick form of pleasure by intentionally causing frustration with the intent to harass and annoy public servants and keep them from doing their work.
Roland is a dummy
March 9, 2025 at 8:44 pm
Lol you absolute dork. Not only is he undeniably a first amendment activist, but in his (repeated) wins in civil rights litigation, he’s asked only for small and symbolic sums of money alongside changes to illegal policy. He’s donated the winnings repeatedly as well.
https://www.thefire.org/news/victory-georgia-city-overhauls-panhandling-policies-and-pays-after-fire-defends-man-holding
Richard
March 10, 2025 at 12:39 am
Mission Statement
It is the mission of the Flagler Beach Police Department to serve and protect the citizens,
businesses and visitors of our City by providing professional, competent Law Enforcement
services. We strive to protect and preserve the Constitutional Rights of all people and
mandate the fair and impartial enforcement of the law. We are committed to providing
professional, efficient and courteous public service and creating a safe environment for
those we serve. We will work as a Team in order to accomplish our mission with
“P.R.I.D.E.”
Professional – we set the example for others to follow
Respectful – to ourselves and all that we encounter
Integrity – in our professional and personal lives
Disciplined – accountable and consistent in the quality of services we deliver
Ethical – in our behavior and our actions
Jeff
March 10, 2025 at 9:40 am
The true rats are the police officers who deliberately infringe on citizens’ rights to get their jollies off or they lack the intelligence to understand those rights. Public servants are not fulfilling their duties when they attempt to enforce behaviors and actions that are protected by our Constitution. Initially, I had a negative view of first amendment auditors, but after watching several videos, I recognized how frequently law enforcement disregards rights while being recorded. If police officers feel at ease making false arrests simply because they disapprove of someone’s Constitutionally protected rights, they do not belong in law enforcement. Those who wear a badge and knowingly violate citizens’ rights under the misguided belief that their authority grants them such power should not serve as public servants. The real victims in this situation are Jeff Gray and the residents of Flagler Beach, who will bear the consequences of this civil rights infringement. The city has already issued an apology and acknowledged the officer’s wrongdoing, with the city attorney seeking to settle to avoid a lawsuit. If you oppose free speech, there are numerous countries that may better suit your beliefs, such as China, North Korea, and Russia.
Free Citizen
March 10, 2025 at 10:06 am
How does that boot taste, Roland?
NickFury
March 10, 2025 at 11:29 am
Mr. Gray is a veteran who has made it his mission to ensure that the government respects the rights of the public and to hold the government to account when they violate those rights. He is a hero and a patriot. Anyone who, in their blind sycophantic devotion to so-called “law enforcement”, is simply a bootlicker.
Craig
March 10, 2025 at 3:01 pm
Okay officer dingleberry… You think it’s offensive to NOT be breaking the law vs harassing someone on PUBLIC PROPERTY WITH A PEACEFUL SIGN SAYING “GOD BLESS THE HOMELESS VETS” not asking for money yeah your a communist and you support terrorism
Tim
March 11, 2025 at 10:49 am
Youre and idiot. You have absolutely no clue about the Constitution. Keep being a copsucker!!! You worthless POS!!
Free Speech
March 10, 2025 at 11:47 pm
Click on Roland’s name- shocker! He is / was a boot licker!
Doug
March 11, 2025 at 7:37 pm
That Sargent threw Jeff’s sign away and kidnapped Mr. Grey. Has he been charged since he knew he was breaking the law? These are the real questions at the end of the day…
Melvin Kallsen Jr
March 13, 2025 at 9:57 am
“Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly has questioned Gray’s methodology in the past, as reported by the Palm Coast Observer. “The proper place to dispute a traffic charge is not on social media, where he gets paid to have his videos out there, but in the court system,” Staly was quoted as having said. In that incident, Gray was shown to have given an FCSO deputy the middle finger.”
Yes, I’ll bet that Sheriff Staley would LOVE to have all these cases gi to court with NO videos ever shown that PROVES officers are wrong more times than they would admit to. The fact that he stated what he did after an incident where there was NO traffic infraction…just Jeff giving the middle finger (Free Speech, 1st Amendment-protected)…to one of his deputies proves that.
Oh…and Roland? You missed a spot on the boot of the officer who threw Jeff’s sign away (destruction of personal property).
Bruno
March 14, 2025 at 4:13 pm
If I saw one of your police officers on fire I would not piss on them I would laugh and let them burn