Sheriff Grady Judd, from the Polk County Sheriff’s office, in Tampa, sent out the warning in a tweet as the state prepares for the deadly hurricane.
He tweeted: “If you go to a shelter for #Irma, be advised: sworn LEOs will be at every shelter, checking IDs. Sex offenders/predators will not be allowed.”
“If you go to a shelter for #Irma and you have a warrant, we’ll gladly escort you to the safe and secure shelter called the Polk County Jail.”
But his no-nonsense approach to law enforcement in the run up to the state having to deal with a 185mph hurricane stirred anger on Twitter.
Matthew Draunch tweeted: “Tell that to the inmates that were trapped and left to starve in prison during Katrina.”
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Another said: “You’re actively discouraging your citizens from seeking shelter from the hurricane? you’re a monster.”
Shelters opened in Polk County on Wednesday morning.
Irma will likely hit Florida as a very powerful Category 4 storm on Sunday, with storm surges and flooding beginning within the next 48 hours, according to the NHC.
At least 10 people have been killed as the hurricane barrels its way across the Caribbean and towards the US.
With Irma set to become the second hurricane to hit the US in as many weeks, Florida emergency management officials have declared a state of emergency and have started evacuations, ordering tourists to leave the Florida Keys.
Florida Governor Rick Scott said mandatory evacuation orders are in place for parts of the Miami metro area and the Florida Keys. Parts of South Florida were placed under a hurricane watch Thursday.
Authorities throughout Florida are busy making preparations for the storm ahead of Hurricane Irma’s arrival at the weekend.
But following the backlash, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office tweeted: “We see that people [on Twitter] are upset, but the bottom line is the shelters are here to protect people and we want people to be safe.”
Carrie Eleazer Horstman said: “If you have a warrant, turn yourself in to the jail and if you are a predator, find somewhere to go.”