Read on Twitter
Biking While Black thread because after 5+ years it is still incredibly relevant and important - especially with all of the ongoing CRB discussions. It also is just outstanding advocacy/data/reporting
April 2015 | “In the past three years, Tampa police have written 2,504 bike tickets — more than Jacksonville, Miami, St. Petersburg and Orlando combined” https://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/how-riding-your-bike-can-land-you-in-trouble-with-the-cops---if-youre-black/2225966/
Eight out of ten ticketed were Black. "This is not a coincidence," said Police Chief @JaneCastor. "Many individuals receiving bike citations are involved in criminal activity."
“For failing to stop at a red light in 2014, blacks got only 11 percent of tickets. Bike tickets that year, 81 percent.”
“For the past three years, no law enforcement agency in the state has given as many bicycle tickets as @TampaPD. It is responsible for 12 percent of all bike tickets written in Florida.”
“For weeks the Times asked Castor for an interview. But the police chief declined, instead providing written statements.” https://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/full-statements-by-tampa-police-chief-jane-castor-about-bicycle-tickets/2225980/
“Officers have reduced auto theft over 90% so bikes have become the most common mode of transportation for criminals.” said (then) police chief Jane Castor on April 10th 2015
April 16th statement:
The U.S. Department of Justice Investigation http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/wusf/files/201604/cops-w0801-pub.pdf
“The data showed that while black residents only made up about 40 percent of estimated bicycle riders during that time, 73 percent of all bicycle stops were of black cyclists.” https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/doj-tampa-bike-stops-unfairly-affect-black-residents
“When asked at Wednesday’s press conference if the city would apologize for implementing a program that disproportionately affected black residents, (Mayor) Buckhorn said he would never apologize for being tough on crime.” Sounds familiar @JaneCastor
In Florida, police are waging a war on black bicycle riders, investigators say | The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/04/18/in-florida-police-are-waging-a-war-on-black-bicycle-riders-investigators-say/
If You’re Black or Brown and Ride a Bike in Tampa, Watch Out: Police Find That Suspicious | American Civil Liberties Union https://www.aclu.org/blog/racial-justice/race-and-criminal-justice/if-youre-black-or-brown-and-ride-bike-tampa-watch-out/
Tampa police's racially biased "bicycle blitzkrieg" shows there are Fergusons everywhere | Vox https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vox.com/platform/amp/2015/4/20/8457289/tampa-police-bicycle-investigation
Riding While Black in Tampa | ACLU of Florida https://www.aclufl.org/en/news/riding-while-black-tampa
Tampa, Fla., Police Investigated For Crackdown On Black Bicyclists | NPR https://www.npr.org/2015/08/10/431343151/tampa-fla-police-investigated-for-crackdown-on-black-bicyclists
August 5 2015 - Tampa residents to call for civilian review board to monitor police https://floridapolitics.com/archives/187697-tampa-citizens-to-call-for-civilian-review-board-to-monitor-police
Fast forward to 2018: https://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/local/Carlton-Jane-Castor-now-says-biking-while-black-tickets-were-wrong_167233952/
“The controversy was a mark on the legacy of a popular police chief often stopped to pose for selfies. When she retired three years ago after 31 years as a cop, she said it was the first time she'd been called racist.” @JaneCastor
I could go on forever and will probably end up adding more to this thread. All of this is to demonstrate that Mayor Jane Castor has and will continue to put the Tampa Police Department above everything else. She cannot have complete control over the Citizen’s Review Board.
