Reported By Kelli Cook
ORLANDO -- One parent is furious after noticing inmates working dangerously close to his child's school.
Parents said the group of inmates violated a policy that requires them to move away from the children.
Orange County Corrections said no policies were broken.
"As a parent, this is something that you would expect first thing in the morning," said a parent who asked not to be identified.
He was shocked to see men in orange jumpsuits and a correctional officer while walking his children to Dr. Phillips Elementary School.
He grabbed his camera and shot pictures in disbelief.
"Why would you allow inmates work in front of a school at a time where you would have kids walking to school," the parent said.
An Orange County Corrections policy said when work is performed in the close proximity of schools, inmates will be placed in transport vehicle until all normal student movement has ceased. During school hours, inmates will not work where students are present unless the students are in the confines of the school grounds.
Officials said the nine-member work crew showed up hours before school started, and said once they saw the children, they got out of the area.
Two children were present -- one was walking and one driven to school. As soon as they showed up for school, they cleared out of the area.
The crew remained in the vicinity, but not near the school.
But the parent said children got dangerously close to the inmates.
"They were mumbling something. We got that uncomfortable feeling," he said.
He said policy was broken and the Orange County Corrections should be much more sensitive whenever there are children involved.
Orange County Corrections also said they had low-level non-violent inmates working Friday, and most of the inmates would qualify to be out on the street if they could afford to post bail.
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