Biking While Black | 1 | Tampa Bay Times LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS

Biking Black | 1 LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS

Bicyclists ride at night along Main Street in West Tampa, where Tampa police wrote dozens of tickets last year for offenses such as riding with no light. Stopped, searched and ticketed. On a bike? Odds are you’re black

By Alexandra Zayas and Kameel Stanley, Times Staff Writers

If the tickets are any indication, bike safety and focused on stopping a Tampa residents must be the lousiest plague of bike thefts. bicyclists in Florida. But here’s something they don’t They don’t use lights at night. Don’t mention about the people they ticket: ride close enough to the curb. Can’t Eight out of 10 are black. manage to keep their hands on the A Tampa Bay Times investigation handlebars. has found that Tampa police are tar- In the past three years, Tampa po- geting poor, black neighborhoods lice have written 2,504 bike tickets with obscure subsections of a Flori- — more than Jacksonville, Miami, St. da statute that outlaws things most Petersburg and Orlando combined. people have tried on a bike, like riding Police say they are gung ho about with no light or carrying a friend on

| 2 | 8A | Sunday, April 19, 2015 | Tampa Bay Times * * * * Biking While Black | 1 | Tampa Bay Times Stopped,LIVINGSTON searc AWARDhe dFOR and YOUNG JOURNALISTS ticketed. On a bike?

OCTAVIO JONES | Times Riding on handlebarsRiding is against on handlebarsstate law, which Tampa is against police use as state a reason law, to stop which bicyclists. TampaJudges remember police cases use in which as akids reason were pulled to ove stopr, then bicyclists.charged with other crimes. Judges remember cases in which kids were pulled over, then charged with other crimes. . BIKES continued from 1A them was noted as a “significant weakness” in his 2012 performance review. The next year, the new officer impressed his bosses with his Officers use these minor violations as an excuse to stop, question “dramatic increase” in “self-initiated activity.” and search almost anyone on wheels. The department doesn’t just He wrote 111 bike tickets, the most in the department. All but four condone these stops, it encourages them, pushing officers who patrol of the cyclists were black. high-crime neighborhoods to do as many as possible. Bike tickets got special attention in 2007 when a squad set out on a There was thethe 56-year-old handlebars. man who rode his bike through a stop The Times analyzedmission dubbed “Bicycle more Blitzkrieg than.” sign while pulling a lawnmower. Police handcuffed him while verify- The goal, according to a department memo, was “to aggressively ing he had, indeed, borrowedOfficers the mower fromuse a friend. these minor violations 10,000 bicycle ticketsenforce bicycle Tampa infractions … where police there has been increased crimi- There was the 54-year-old man whose bike was confiscated nal activity.” because he couldnas’t produce an a receiptexcuse to prove itto was his.stop, question and issued in the pastStopping dozen people on years. bikes, especially The at night, would introduce offi- One woman was walking her bike home after cooking for an cers to “potential criminals, thus opening more avenues to make elderly neighbor.search She said she was almost balancing a plate anyone of fish and grits on wheels. newspaper foundarrests that and clear even the streets ofthough the subjects that are committing the in one hand when an officer flagged her down and issued her a $51 crimes.” ticket for not havingThe a light. department With late fees, it has since ballooneddoesn’t to just con- blacks make up Duringabout the three-month a quarter blitz, officers of arrested dozens and issued $90. She doesn’t have the money to pay. 266 citations and the squad was given an award lauding its “signifi- The Times analyzeddone more thesethan 10,000 bicyclestops, tickets it Tampa encourages police them, the city’s Timespopulation, (2014) cant impact they in reducing received crime.” 79 issued in the past dozen years. The newspaper found that even For the past three years, no law enforcement agency in the state though blacks makepushing up about a quarter officers of the city’s population, who the ypatrol “Each high-neighborhood haspercent a unique set of of the bikehas given tickets. as many bicycle tickets as the Tampa Police Department. It received 79 percent of the bike tickets. issues. What is a problem in one area of is responsible for 12 percent of all bike tickets written in Florida. Some riders havecrime been stopped neighborhoods more than a dozen times through to do as many Some riders haveLast year, T beenampa police stoppedwrote at least four tickets for something no the years, and issued as many as 17 tickets. Some have been ticketed the city may not be in another. We have an longer illegal: riding a bike without holding the handlebars. three times in oneas day. possible. obligation to address themore individual than issues a dozenFor mertimes Sen. Ellyn through Bogdanoff, R-For tthe Lauderdale, remembers sub- It’s possible blacks in some areas use bicycles more than whites. mitting the violation for repeal back in 2012, when legislators were But that’s not what’s Theredriving the disparit wasy. the 56-year-oldthat plague man each neighborhood.years,” and issuedencouraged as many to weed out as archaic 17 and tick obsolete- laws. Police are targeting certain high-crime neighborhoods and nitpick- Tampa police Chief Jane Castor This one fit the bill. ing cyclists as a waywho to curb crime.rode They hopehis they bike will catch someonethrough Read hera writtenstop responses to ourets. investigation Some have been“It was against ticketed the law,” she said. three “I mean, really? … As a kid, I used with a stolen bike or with drugs or that they will scare thieves away. at tbtim.es/biketickets. to ride without my hands all the time.” “This is not a coincidence,” Tampa police Chief Jane Castor said. “Many individualssign receiving while bike citations pulling are involved ain criminallawnmower. Po- times in one day. activity.” • • • She said her departmentlice handcuffed has done such a good jobhim curbing while auto verifying It’s possible blacks in some areas theft that bikes have “become the most common mode of transporta- or many people who live just west of downtown, in the blocks tion for criminals.he” had, indeed, borrowed the mower use bicycles more surroundingthan whites. the city’s oldest, ugliestBut public housing complex, Many of the tickets did go to convicted criminals, including some F the world is only as large as the distance they can ride their people interviewedfrom for this report.a friend. And there are cases where police that’s not what’s bicycles.driving Residents the pedal todisparity. work, to school, to pick up dinner and to stopped someone under suspicious circumstances and found a gun attend church. or caught a burglar. There was the 54-year-old man Police are targetingIt isn’t hard certainto find people who high- have been stopped by police and But most bike stops that led to a ticket turned up no illegal activity; issued tickets: the kid riding home from football practice, the guy only 20 percent ofwhose adults ticketed bike last year werewas arrested. confiscated because crime neighborhoodsdetailing cars. and They were nitpicking cited last year along with dozens of their When police did arrest someone, it was almost always for a small neighbors. amount of drugshe or a misdemeanor couldn’t like trespassing produce. a receipt to prove cyclists as a way toThen curb there was crime.Alphonso Lee King,They ordered to remove a bag of One man went to jail for refusing to sign a ticket. food and a lock from his bicycle so an officer could confiscate it “due In Davis Islands,it wherewas Ma yorhis. Bob Buckhorn lives near baseball hope they will catchto the fact thesomeone bicycle is worth over with $500,” the a of ficer wrote, “and King star Derek Jeter, police could issue multiple tickets. But they don’t. was not able to produce any type of documentation that he bought One recent night, theOne Times observed woman a couple leaving was an icewalking cream her bike stolen bike or withthe bike drugs legally.” or that they shop on unlit beach cruisers and a cyclist riding along the dark coast- OCTAVIO JONES | Times King said he and his brother, a scrapper, found the bike frame in line, visible only because of the reflectors on his pedals. Alphonso Lee King had his bicycle confiscated by a Tampa a Dumpster and assembled it from parts. The bike was the only way Only one tickethome was written lastafter year in Davis cooking Islands. It went forto a anpolice elderly officer in West Tampa becausewill he scare couldn’t produce thieves he away.could get around after getting out of prison last summer for deal- black man. a receipt to prove it was his. ing drugs. The same goesneighbor. for Bayshore Boulevard, She another said of the shecity’s main was Hearbalancing him tell his story at tbtim.es/biketickets.“This is not a coincidence,”Tampa police impounded said it for 90 Podays,- advertising it as “found” biking destinations. Only one person got a ticket there last year. He, property, even though it had not been reported stolen. too, is black. a plate of fish and grits in one hand lice Chief Jane Castor.These types of s“Manytops also happen indi in other- low-income, high-crime, “Each neighborhood has a unique set of issues,” Castor said. “What predominantly black pockets, including Sulphur Springs and parts is a problem in onewhen area of the an city may officer not be in another. flagged We have an her down and viduals receivingof east bike Tampa. citations are obligation to address the individual issues that plague each neigh- In Tampa Heights, police stopped 63-year-old Lloyd Brown for not borhood.” issued her a $51 ticket for not having involved in criminalhaving lights activity.” on his bike — except that he did, and they almost imme- For weeks, the Times asked Castor for an interview. But the police diately acknowledged that. “Well, I’m glad to see you’re in compliance chief declined, insteada light. providing With written statements. late fees, it has since bal- She said her departmenttoday, sir,” an officer said ashas a dashboard done camera recorded. Mayor Buckhorn also declined comment, saying Castor’s state- But the 2013 encounter didn’t end there. The officer kept Brown’s ment “speaks forlooned itself.” to $90. She doesn’t have the such a good jobID curbing and questioned him auto about what theft he’d bought at the grocery store. The Times’ findings concern others — Hillsborough circuit judges The interrogation escalated to whether he used drugs, and a search and the public defender,money social rights to advocatespay. and some of the lead- that bikes haverevealed “become a small amount the of crack. most ing researchers in race and policing. “Let me explain something to you, okay?” the officer said. “If you “You almost roll your eyes when you read the reports,” Circuit do anything dumb, your head will hit this ground very hard, okay? Judge Tracy Sheehan said. “Oh no, another bike stop, another kid rid- And you will go to the hospital before you go to jail.” ing on the handlebars, here we go. And certainly, we have laws and The felony charge, pleaded down to a misdemeanor, impeded we should all follow the law, but it occurred to me the stops were all Brown’s ability to get an apartment, forcing him to move in with rel- occurring in certain neighborhoods and with certain children, and atives. not in my neighborhood, and not with the white kids.” Brown was shuttling from one home to another one morning a Joyce Hamilton Henry, director of advocacy for ACLU of Florida, OCTAVIO JONES | Times few weeks ago in North Tampa, towing all of his belongings on his wants to know: “If it’s not racial profiling, what is it?” Lloyd Brown’s raincoat hung over his rear light when an bike, when another officer stopped him for riding in the middle of officer stopped him in 2013. The officer questioned and the street. searched him, and arrested| 3 him | for drug possession. The officer checked his identification and flipped his bike to look See the dashcam video at tbtim.es/biketickets. at the serial number. It bore a sticker: God’s Pedal Power Ministry. “I • • • got it from a church!” Brown said. hen first asked about the bicycle tickets, Tampa police The officer sent him on his way. directed inquiries to Capt. Ruben Delgado, who provided The scenario has become cliche in these parts, where kids as young W reporters with a strategy created a few years ago to encour- as 12 describe the same dance that grown men recall from growing age cyclists to register their bikes so officers could identify them if up in Tampa. they were stolen. “It’s always the light, or to run your VIN number,” said 31-year-old He denied bicycle law was being used primarily to root out drugs Anthony Gilbert of College Hill. “ ‘Let’s have your ID. Just stand in or fight crime unrelated to bikes. front of my cruiser.’ Now, you’re being humiliated. Your friend’s riding “We want to see the thefts of bicycles go down. We want to see the by. Your reverend might be riding by. Now, you’ve got to go to church. safety get better, so there are less crashes,” he said. “Whether it leads The pastor’s going to be like, ‘What happened, son?’ ” to something else or not is going to be secondary.” Last year, officers stopped a man in Belmont Heights after he ran a He said when officers find people in violation of bike law, they stop sign on an unlit bike. They searched 33-year-old Artis Hancock, hand out lights and give warnings. Tickets, he said, are a last resort. and when he tried to flee, a scuffle ensued. Hancock wound up on But the Times found that the department has ticketed hundreds of the ground as an officer punched, kicked and choked him to uncon- black bicyclists each year for more than a decade. sciousness. The racial breakdown of the tickets suggests police are using their The officer said Hancock reached for his Taser. A public defender discretion differently when it comes to bikes. For more serious driv- later argued the search was illegal and that Hancock’s charges, ing offenses, blacks were not more likely to be cited. For failing to “Certainly, we have laws and we should including drug possession, should be dismissed. stop at a red light in 2014, blacks got only 11 percent of tickets. Bike In Hillsborough Circuit Court, Judge Samantha Ward listened to tickets that year, 81 percent. all follow the law, but it occurred to me the officers try to justify their suspicion that Hancock may have had a Internal police department records show a sustained effort to the stops were all occurring in certain weapon on him, which they said prompted them to search Hancock encourage bike stops as a means to reduce more serious crimes. without consent. Officers get yearly “productivity reports,” calculating, in part, how neighborhoods and with certain children, “He was in a high-crime area,” one officer said. many tickets they give. One personnel file detailed a “red grid patrol” and not in my neighborhood, and not with “He had large clothing,” another said. in which officers are encouraged to “engage and identify offenders Before she dismissed all of Hancock’s criminal charges, Ward through street checks, bike stops and traffic stops.” the white kids.” quipped: In another file, a supervisor told a new officer he should learn Circuit Judge Tracy Sheehan “Was he black, too?” rarely used traffic statutes. The fact that he wasn’t familiar with Watch her interview video at tbtim.es/biketickets. . Continued on 9A 8A | Sunday, April 19, 2015 | Tampa Bay Times * * * * Stopped, searched and ticketed. On a bike?

8A | Sunday, April 19, 2015 | Tampa Bay Times * * * * Stopped, searched and ticketed. On a bike?

Biking While Black | 1 | Tampa Bay Times OCTAVIO JONES | Times Riding on handlebars is against state lawLIVINGSTON, which Tampa AWARD police use FOR as aYOUNG reason toJOURNALISTS stop bicyclists. Judges remember cases in which kids were pulled over, then charged with other crimes.

. BIKES continued from 1A them was noted as a “significant weakness” in his 2012 performance common mode of transportation for review. The next year, the new officer impressed his bosses with his Officers use these minor violations as an excuse to stop, question “dramatic increase” in “self-initiated activity.” and search almost criminals.”anyone on wheels. The department doesn’t just He wrote 111 bike tickets, the most in the department. All but four condone these stops, itMany encourages of the them, tickets pushing didofficers go who to patrolcon- of the cyclists were black. OCTAVIO JONES | Times high-crime neighborhoodsRiding onvicted handlebars to criminals, do is as against many s asta includingte possible. law, which Tsomeampa police peo use- as a reason to stop bicyclists. Judges remember cases in which kids were pulled oBikever, then tickets charged got special with other attention crimes. in 2007 when a squad set out on a There was the 56-year-old man who rode his bike through a stop mission dubbed “Bicycle Blitzkrieg.” sign while pulling aple lawnmower. interviewed Police handcuffed for this him story. while verify-And The goal, according to a department memo, was “to aggressively . BIKES continued from 1A them was noted as a “significant weakness” in his 2012 performance ing he had, indeed, thereborrowed are the cases mower wherefrom a friend. police stopped review. The nextenforce year, bicyclethe new infractionsofficer impressed … where his bosses there with has hi sbeen increased crimi- There was Oftheficers 54-year-oldsomeone use these minor manunder violations whose suspicious as bike an ex cuwasse to confiscated stop,circum question- “dramatic increase”nal activit in “self-initiatedy.” activity.” because he couldnand search’tstances produce almost anyonea andreceipt on found towheels. prove Thea it gun was department his. or caught doesn’t just a He wrote 111 Stoppingbike tickets, people the most on in bikes, the department. especially All at but night, four would introduce offi- One womancondone was these walking stops, ither encourages bike home them, pushingafter cooking officers who for patrol an of the cyclistscers were to black. “potential criminals, thus opening more avenues to make elderly neighbor.high-crime Sheburglar. neighborhoodssaid she was tobalancing do as many a as plate possible. of fish and grits Bike ticketsarrests got special and at cleartention the in 2007streets when of a the squad subjects set out onthat a are committing the There was the 56-year-old man who rode his bike through a stop mission dubbed “Bicycle Blitzkrieg.” in one handsign when while an pullingBut officer amost lawnmower.flagged bike her Police down stops handcuffed and that issued him led whileher ato verify- $51 a The goal, accordingcrimes.” to a department memo, was “to aggressively ticket for noting having he had,ticket aindeed, light. borrowedturned With late the upfees, mower no it fromhas illegal since a friend. ballooned activity; to enforce bicycle Duringinfractions the … three-monthwhere there has blitz, been oincreasedfficers arrested crimi- dozens and issued $90. She doesnThere’t ha vewas the the money 54-year-old to pay. man whose bike was confiscated nal activity.” 266 citations and the squad was given an award lauding its “signifi- The Timesbecause analyzed heonly couldn more 20’t thanproduce percent 10,000 a receipt bicycleof to adults prove tickets it was ticketed T his.ampa police last Times (2014)Stopping peoplecant impact on bikes, in especially reducing at night,crime. would” introduce offi- issued in theOne past womanyear dozen waswere years. walking arrested. The her newspaper bike home afterfound cooking that eforven an “Each neighborhood has a cers to “potentialFo rcriminals, the past thusthree opening years, more no law avenues enforcement to make agency in the state though blackselderly make neighbor. up about She saida quarter she was of balancing the city’ as platepopulation, of fish and the gritsy “Each neighborhood has a unique set of arrests and clearhas giventhe streets as many of the bicyclesubjects ticketsthat are as committing the Tampa the Po lice Department. It in one handWhen when an ofpoliceficer flagged did her arrest down and someone, issued her a $51 it unique set of issues. What is crimes.” received 79 percentticket forwas ofnot the having almost bike a tickets. light. always With late forfees, ait hassmall since balloonedamount to issues. What is a problem in one area of During theis three-month responsible blitz, for o12fficers percent arrested of all dozens bike andtickets issued written in Florida. Some riders$90. have She doesn been’t hstoppedave the money more to than pay. a dozen times through a problem in one area of the 266 citations andLast the year, squad T ampawas given police an award wrote lauding at least its four “signifi- tickets for something no the years, andT issuedhe Timesof as drugsanalyzed many asmoreor 17 a thantickets. misdemeanor 10,000 Some bicycle have tickets been like Tampa ticketed tres police- the city may not be in another. WeTimes hav(2014) e ancant impact inlonger reducing illegal: crime. riding” a bike without holding the handlebars. three times inissued one indapassing. they. past dozen years. The newspaper found that even obligationcity may to not address be in the another. individual issues For the past Fothreermer years, Sen. no Ellynlaw enforcement Bogdanof fagency, R-Fo rint Lauderdale,the state remembers sub- It’s possiblethough blacks blacks in make some up areas about usea quarter bicycles of the more city’s population,than whites. the y “Each neighborhood has a unique set of has given as mitmanyting bicycle the tickets violation as the for Ta mparepeal Police back Department. in 2012, Itwhen legislators were received 79 percentOne man of the bike went tickets. to jail for refusing to is responsible for 12 percent of all bike tickets written in Florida. But that’s not Somewhat’ riderss driving have the been disparit stoppedy. more than a dozen times through thatissues.We plaguehave What is aneach a problem obligation neighborhood. in one area to ”of Last year, Tencouragedampa police wrote to weed at least out four archaic tickets and for something obsolete nolaws. Police arethe targeting years,sign and certain issued a ticket. high-crimeas many as 17 neighborhoods tickets. Some have and been nitpick- ticketed Tathem citypa police may not Chief be Jain neanother. Castor We have an longer illegal: ridingThis aone bike f itwithout the bill. holding the handlebars. ing cyclists asthree a way times to Onin curb one daDaviscrime.y. They Islands, hope they wherewill catch Mayorsomeone Readobligationaddress her written to theaddress responses individual the to individual our investigation issues Former Sen. Ellyn“It was Bogdanof againstf, R- theFo rlat Lauderdale,w,” she said. remembers “I mean, sub- really? … As a kid, I used It’s possible blacks in some areas use bicycles more than whites. mitting the violation for repeal back in 2012, when legislators were with a stolen bike orBob with drugsBuckhorn or that they lives will scare near thieves baseball away. atthat tbtim.es/biketickets. plague each neighborhood.” to ride without my hands all the time.” “This is notBut athat’ coincidence,”s not what’s driving Tampa the policedisparit Chiefy. Jane Castor said. issues that plague each encouraged to weed out archaic and obsolete laws. Police starare targeting Derek certain Jeter, high-crime police neighborhoods could and issue nitpick- Tampa police Chief Jane Castor This one fit the bill. “Many individualsing cyclists receiving as a way to bike curb citations crime. They are hope involved they will incatch criminal someone “It was against the law,” she said. “I mean, really? … As a kid, I used activity.” Readneighborhood.” her written responses to our investigation with a stolenmultiple bike or with tickets. drugs or that But they willthey scare don’t. thieves aw Oneay. at tbtim.es/biketickets. to ride without my hands all the time.” • • • She said her“T departmenthis isrecent not a coincidence,” hasnight, done Tampa thesuch aTimespolice good Chief job observed Janecurbing Castor auto said. a Tampa police Chief Jane Castor theft that bikes“Many have individuals “become receiving the most bike common citations modeare involved of transporta- in criminal or many people who live just west of downtown, in the blocks activity.” tion for criminals.” couple leaving an ice cream shop on surrounding• • •the city’s oldest, ugliest public housing complex, Many of theShe tickets saidunlit her did department gobeach to convicted cruisershas done criminals, such and a good aincluding jobcyclist curbing some rid auto- the world is only as large as the distance they can ride their theft that bikes have “become the most common mode of transporta- or manyF people who live just west of downtown, in the blocks people interviewedtion for criminals.ing for this along” report. the And dark there coastline,are cases where visible police surroundingbicycles. the Residentscity’s oldest, pedal ugliest to public work, housing to school, complex to ,pick up dinner and to stopped someoneMany under of the tickets suspicious did go circumstancesto convicted criminals, and foundincluding a gun some F the worldattend is only church. as large as the distance they can ride their or caught a burglarpeople interviewed.only because for this report. of theAnd there reflectors are cases where on police his bicycles. ResidentsIt is pedaln’t hard to work, to findto school, people to pick who up have dinner been and tostopped by police and But most stoppedbike stops someonepedals. that ledunder to asuspicious ticket turned circumstances up no illegal and found activity; a gun attend church.issued tickets: the kid riding home from football practice, the guy only 20 percentor caught of adults a burglar ticketed. last year were arrested. It isn’t harddetailing to find people cars. whoThey have were been cited stopped last by year police along and with dozens of their But most Onlybike stops one that led ticket to a ticket was turned writtenup no illegal activity;last issued tickets: the kid riding home from football practice, the guy When policeonly did20 percent yeararrest of someone,on adults Davis ticketed it was Islands.last almost year were always arrested.It went for a smallto a detailing cars.neighbors. They were cited last year along with dozens of their amount of drugsWhen or policea misdemeanor did arrest someone, like trespassing it was almost. always for a small neighbors. Then there was Alphonso Lee King, ordered to remove a bag of One man amountwent to ofblack j aildrugs for or refusingman. a misdemeanor to sign like a ticket trespassing. . Then therefood was andAlphonso a lock Lee from King, h isordered bicycle to so remove an of aficer bag couldof confiscate it “due In Davis Islands,One man where Thewent to Msame jailayor for Bobrefusing goes Buckhorn tofor sign Bayshore a ticket lives. near baseballBoule- food and a lockto thefrom fact his thebicycle bicycle so an isof ficerworth could over confiscate $500,” theit “due off icer wrote, “and King star Derek JeterIn Davis, police Islands, could where issue M multipleayor Bob Buckhorn tickets. Butlives theynear baseballdon’t. to the fact thew bicycleas not is able worth to over produce $500,” the any of ftypeicer wrote, of doc “andumentation King that he bought star Derekvard, Jeter, policeanother could issueof the multiple city’s tickets. main But theybiking don’t. was not able to produce any type of documentation that he bought One recent night, the Times observed a couple leaving an ice cream the bike legally.” One recentdestinations. night, the Times observed Only a onecouple personleaving an ice got cream a the bike legally.” shop on unlitshop beach on unlit cruisers beach andcruisers a cy andclist a cyridingclist riding along along the thedark dark coast- coast- Alphonso Lee King had his bicycleOCTAVIO JONESOCTAVIO | TimesJONES | TimesKing said he Kingand his said brother, he and a scrapper, his brother, found thea scrapper, bike frame found in the bike frame in line, visible onlyline, visible becauseticket only of because therethe reflectors of thelast reflectors year. on his on He,pedals. his pedals. too, is black. Alphonsoconfiscated Lee Lee King King by had a had hisTampa bicycle his bicyclepolice confiscated officerconfiscated by ain Tampa West by a Tampaa Dumpster anda Dumpster assembled and it from assembled parts. The itbike from was parts. the only The wa ybike was the only way Only one ticketOnly onewas ticket writ tenwas lastwrit tenyear last in year Davis in Davis Islands. Islands. It went It went to to a a police o officerfficer in Winest W estTampa Tampa because because he couldn’t he couldn’t produce producehe could get hearound could after ge get aroundtting out afterof prison get tinglast summer out of prisonfor deal- last summer for deal- black man. “Each neighborhood has a unique aTampa receipt to because prove it was he couldn’this. produce a receipt ing drugs. black man. ato receipt prove to it wasprov ehis. it was his. ing drugs. The same gTheoes sameforset Bayshore g oesof forissues,” Bayshore Boulevard, CastorBoulevard, another anothersaid. of the of“What thecit y’citsy’ mains ismain a Hear him him tell tell his his story story at tbtim.es/bik at tbtim.es/biketickets.etickets. Tampa policeT impoundedampa police it for impounded 90 days, advertising it for 90 it days,as “found advertising” it as “found” biking destinations. Only one person got a ticket there last year. He, property, even though it had not been reported stolen. biking destinations.too, is black.problem Only one person in one got areaa ticket of there the last city year. may He, These typesproperty of stops ,also even happen though in other it had low-income, not been high-crime,reported s tolen. too, is black. “Each neighborhoodnot be in hasanother. a unique set We of issues,” have Castor an said.obliga “Wha-t The Times’ findings concern others predominantly Tblackhese pockets, types of including stops also Sulphur happen Springs in other and parts low-income, high-crime, “Each neighborhoodis a problem in has one a area unique of the set city of may issues,” not be Castor in another. said. We “W haveha ant of east Tampa.predominantly black pockets, including Sulphur Springs and parts is a problemobligation in one tionarea to address of to the address citythe individual may not the beissues individualin another. that plague We each hissuesave neigh- an — Hillsborough Circuit judges and In Tampa Hofeights, east Ta policempa. stopped 63-year-old Lloyd Brown for not obligation toborhood. addressthat” the plague individual each issues neighborhood.” that plague each neigh- the Public Defender, social rights ad- having lights onIn his T bikeampa — exHcepteights, that police he did, sandtopped they almost 63-year-old imme- Lloyd Brown for not For weeks, the Times asked Castor for an interview. But the police diately acknowledged that. “Well, I’m glad to see you’re in compliance borhood.” chief declined,For instead weeks, providing the written Times statements. asked Castor vocates and some of the leading re- today, sir,” anhaving officer said lights as a on dashboard his bike camera — except recorded. that he did, and they almost imme- For weeks, theMay Timesorfor Buckhorn anasked interview. also Castor declined for ancomment, But inter thevie sayingw. police But Castor the chiefpolice’s state- searchers in race and policing. But the 2013diately encounter acknowledged didn’t end there. that. The “W ell,officer I’m kept glad Brown to see’s you’re in compliance chief declined,ment instead “speaks providing for itself.” written statements. ID and questionedtoday, him sir ,”about an of whatficer he said’d bought as a dashboard at the grocery camera store. recorded. Mayor BuckhornThe Timesdeclined, also’ findings declined concern instead comment, others providing— Hillsboroughsaying Castor circuitwritten’s s tate-judges “You almost roll your eyes when you The interrogationBut theescalated 2013 to encounter whether he didnused ’tdrugs, end and there. a search The officer kept Brown’s ment “speaksand for the itself publicstatements..” defender, social rights advocates and some of the lead- read the reports,” said Circuit Judge revealed a smallID andamount questioned of crack. him about what he’d bought at the grocery store. The Timesing’ findings researchers concern in race andothers policing — Hillsborough. circuit judges “Let me explainThe something interrogation to you, escalated okay?” the to of fwhethericer said. “Ifhe yousedu drugs, and a search “You almostMayor roll your Buckhorn eyes when you read also the reports,” declined Circuit Tracy Sheehan. “Oh no, another bike do anything dumb, your head will hit this ground very hard, okay? and the publicJudge defender, Tracy Sheehan social said. rights “Oh advocates no, another and bike somestop, another of the kidlead- rid- And you will revealedgo to the h aospital small before amount you go of to crack. jail.” ing researchersing on in theracecomment, handlebars, and policing here saying. we go. And Castor’s certainly, we statement have laws and stop, another kid riding on the han- The felony charge,“Let me pleaded explain down something to a misdemeanor, to you, okay?” impeded the officer said. “If you “You almostwe should roll“speaks your all follow eyes thefor when la w,itself.” but you it occurredread the to mereports,” the stops Circuit were all dlebars, here we go. And certainly, we Brown’s abilitydo to anything get an apartment, dumb, forcingyour head him towill move hit in this with ground rel- very hard, okay? Judge Tracyocc Sheehanurring in said. certain “Oh neighborhoods no, another bikeand with stop, certain another children, kid rid- and atives. And you will go to the hospital before you go to jail.” ing on the handlebars,not in my neighborhood, here we go. and And not with certainly, the white we kids. have” laws and Brown was shuttlingThe felony from charge, one home pleaded to another down one morning to a misdemeanor, a impeded Joyce Hamilton Henry, director of advocacy for ACLU of Florida, OCTAVIO JONES | Times few weeks ago in North Tampa, towing all of his belongings on his we should allwants follow to know: the la“Ifw, it ’sbut not itracial occurred profiling, to whatme theis it?” stops were all Lloyd Brown’s raincoat hung over his rear light when an bike, when anotherBrown ’sofficer ability stopped to ge thim an forapartment, riding in the forcing middle him of to move in with rel- occurring in certain neighborhoods and with certain children, and | 4 |officer stopped him in 2013. The officer questioned and the street. atives. not in my neighborhood, and not with the white kids.” searched him, and arrested him for drug possession. The officer checkedBrown his was identification shuttling and from flipped one his home bike to lookanother one morning a See the dashcam video at tbtim.es/biketickets. at the serial number. It bore a sticker: God’s Pedal Power Ministry. “I Joyce Hamilton Henry, director of advocacy• • • for ACLU of Florida, OCTAVIO JONES | Times few weeks ago in North Tampa, towing all of his belongings on his wants to know: “If it’s not racial profiling, what is it?” Lloyd Brown’s raincoat hung over his rear light when angot it from a church!”bike, when Brown another said. officer stopped him for riding in the middle of hen first asked about the bicycle tickets, Tampa police The officer sent him on his way. directed inquiries to Capt. Ruben Delgado, who provided officer stopped him in 2013. The officer questioned and The scenariothe has street. become cliche in these parts, where kids as young W reporters with a strategy created a few years ago to encour- searched him, and arrested him for drug possession. as 12 describe theThe same officer dance checked that grown his menidentification recall from growingand flipped his bike to look See the dashcam video at tbtim.es/biketickets. up in Tampa.at the serial number. It bore a sticker: God’s Pedal Power Ministry. “I age cyclists to register their• • • bikes so officers could identify them if they were stolen. “It’s alwaysg otthe it light, from or a to church!” run your BrownVIN number said.,” said 31-year-old henHe first denied asked bicycle about law was the being bicycle used tickets,primarily T toampa root out police drugs Anthony GilbertT heof Collegeofficer Hill.sent “him ‘Let’ son have his your way. ID. Just stand in or fight crime unrelated to bikes. front of my cruiser.’ Now, you’re being humiliated. Your friend’s riding directed“We want inquiries to see the to thefts Capt. of Ruben bicycles Delgado, go down. We who want provided to see the by. Your reverendThe might scenario be riding has by. become Now, you cliche’ve got into gothese to church. parts, where kids as young W reporterssafety get withbetter, a so strategy there are created less crashes,” a few he years said. ago“Whether to encour- it leads The pastor’s gasoing 12 todescribe be like, ‘What the samehappened, dance son?’ that ” grown men recall from growing age cyclists toto something register elsetheir or notbikes is g oingso of toficers be secondar couldy. ”identify them if Last year, ofupficers in Ta stoppedmpa. a man in Belmont Heights after he ran a they were stolen.He said when officers find people in violation of bike law, they stop sign on an“It’ unlits always bike. They the searched light, or 33-year-old to run your Artis VIN Hancock, number ,” said 31-year-old He deniedhand bicycle out lights law andwas give being warnings. used Tickets,primarily he said, to root are a outlast resort.drugs and when heAnthony tried to flee, Gilbert a scuf fleof ensued.College Hancock Hill. “ ‘ Let’wounds have up on your ID. Just stand in or fight crime Butunrelated the Times to found bikes. that the department has ticketed hundreds of the ground asfront an of officer my punched, cruiser .’kicked Now, andyou choked’re being him humiliated. to uncon- Your friend’s riding black bicyclists each year for more than a decade. sciousness. “We want toT hesee racial the breakdownthefts of b oficycles the tickets go down. suggests We police want are to using see thetheir The officerby. said Your Hancock reverend reached might for his be T ridingaser. A publicby. No defendew, you’rve got to go to church. safety get betdiscretionter, so there differently are less when crashes,” it comes heto bikes.said. For“Whether more serious it leads driv- later arguedT thehe pastorsearch ’swas going illegal to beand like, that ‘What Hancock’s happened, charges, son?’ ” to somethinging else offenses, or not blacks is going were to not be moresecondar likelyy. to” be cited. For failing to “Certainly, we have laws and we should including drug possession,Last year, shouldofficers be s dismissed.topped a man in Belmont Heights after he ran a He said whenstop at of a ficersred light find in 20 people14, blacks in got violation only 11 percent of bike of tickets.law, they Bik e In Hillsboroughstop sign Circuit on Court, an unlit Judge bike. Samantha They searched Ward listened 33-year-old to Artis Hancock, hand out lightstickets and that give year, warnings. 81 percent. Tickets, he said, are a last resort. all follow the law, but it occurred to me the officers tryand to justifywhen their he triedsuspicion to flee,that H aancock scuffle may ensued. have had Hancock a wound up on TimesInternal police department records show a sustained effort to the stops were all occurring in certain weapon on him, which they said prompted them to search Hancock But the encourage found bike that stops the as department a means to reduce has more ticketed serious hundreds crimes. of without consent.the ground as an officer punched, kicked and choked him to uncon- black bicyclistsOf eachficers yearget yearly for more “productivity than a decade.reports,” calculating, in part, how neighborhoods and with certain children, “He was insciousness. a high-crime area,” one officer said. The racialmany breakdown tickets they of give.the ticketsOne personnel suggests file detailedpolice are a “red using grid patrol”their and not in my neighborhood, and not with “He had largeThe clothing officer,” another said said.Hancock reached for his Taser. A public defender discretion differentlyin which of fwhenicers are it encouragedcomes to bikes. to “engage For moreand identify serious offenders driv- the white kids.” Before shelater dismissed argued all ofthe H ancock’ssearch wascriminal illegal charges, and Wthatard Hancock’s charges, ing offenses,through blacks street were checks, not morebike stops likely and totraf befic scited.tops.” For failing to “Certainly, we have laws and we should quipped: including drug possession, should be dismissed. stop at a red lightIn another in 20 1file,4, blacks a supervisor got only told 11a newpercent officer of he tickets. should Bik learne Circuit Judge Tracy Sheehan “Was he black,In too?” Hillsborough Circuit Court, Judge Samantha Ward listened to rarely used traffic statutes. The fact that he wasn’t familiar with Watch her interview video at tbtim.es/biketickets. . Continued on 9A tickets that year, 81 percent. all follow the law, but it occurred to me the officers try to justify their suspicion that Hancock may have had a Internal police department records show a sustained effort to the stops were all occurring in certain weapon on him, which they said prompted them to search Hancock encourage bike stops as a means to reduce more serious crimes. without consent. Officers get yearly “productivity reports,” calculating, in part, how neighborhoods and with certain children, “He was in a high-crime area,” one officer said. many tickets they give. One personnel file detailed a “red grid patrol” and not in my neighborhood, and not with “He had large clothing,” another said. in which officers are encouraged to “engage and identify offenders Before she dismissed all of Hancock’s criminal charges, Ward through street checks, bike stops and traffic stops.” the white kids.” quipped: In another file, a supervisor told a new officer he should learn Circuit Judge Tracy Sheehan “Was he black, too?” rarely used traffic statutes. The fact that he wasn’t familiar with Watch her interview video at tbtim.es/biketickets. . Continued on 9A 8A | Sunday, April 19, 2015 | Tampa Bay Times * * * * Stopped, searched and ticketed. On a bike?

OCTAVIO JONES | Times Riding on handlebars is against state law, which Tampa police use as a reason to stop bicyclists. Judges remember cases in which kids were pulled over, then charged with other crimes.

. BIKES continued from 1A them was noted as a “significant weakness” in his 2012 performance review. The next year, the new officer impressed his bosses with his Officers use these minor violations as an excuse to stop, question “dramatic increase” in “self-initiated activity.” and search almost anyone on wheels. The department doesn’t just He wrote 111 bike tickets, the most in the department. All but four condone these stops, it encourages them, pushing officers who patrol of the cyclists were black. high-crime neighborhoods to do as many as possible. Bike tickets got special attention in 2007 when a squad set out on a There was the 56-year-old man who rode his bike through a stop mission dubbed “Bicycle Blitzkrieg.” sign while pulling a lawnmower. Police handcuffed him while verify- The goal, according to a department memo, was “to aggressively ing he had, indeed, borrowed the mower from a friend. enforce bicycle infractions … where there has been increased crimi- There was the 54-year-old man whose bike was confiscated nal activity.” because he couldn’t produce a receipt to prove it was his. Stopping people on bikes, especially at night, would introduce offi- One woman was walking her bike home after cooking for an cers to “potential criminals, thus opening more avenues to make elderly neighbor. She said she was balancing a plate of fish and grits arrests and clear the streets of the subjects that are committing the in one hand when an officer flagged her down and issued her a $51 crimes.” ticket for not having a light. With late fees, it has since ballooned to During the three-month blitz, officers arrested dozens and issued $90. She doesn’t have the money to pay. 266 citations and the squad was given an award lauding its “signifi- The Times analyzed more than 10,000 bicycle tickets Tampa police Times (2014) cant impact in reducing crime.” issued in the past dozen years. The newspaper found that even For the past three years, no law enforcement agency in the state though blacks make up about a quarter of the city’s population, they “Each neighborhood has a unique set of has given as many bicycle tickets as the Tampa Police Department. It received 79 percent of the bike tickets. is responsible for 12 percent of all bike tickets written in Florida. Some riders have been stopped more than a dozen times through issues. What is a problem in one area of Last year, Tampa police wrote at least four tickets for something no the years, and issued as many as 17 tickets. Some have been ticketed the city may not be in another. We have an longer illegal: riding a bike without holding the handlebars. three times in one day. obligation to address the individual issues Former Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, remembers sub- It’s possible blacks in some areas use bicycles more than whites. mitting the violation for repeal back in 2012, when legislators were But that’s not what’s driving the disparity. that plague each neighborhood.” encouraged to weed out archaic and obsolete laws. Police are targeting certain high-crime neighborhoods and nitpick- Tampa police Chief Jane Castor This one fit the bill. ing cyclists as a way to curb crime. They hope they will catch someone Read her written responses to our investigation “It was against the law,” she said. “I mean, really? … As a kid, I used with a stolen bike or with drugs or that they will scare thieves away. at tbtim.es/biketickets. to ride without my hands all the time.” “This is not a coincidence,” Tampa police Chief Jane Castor said. “Many individuals receiving bike citations are involved in criminal activity.” • • • She said her department has done such a good job curbing auto theft that bikes have “become the most common mode of transporta- or many people who live just west of downtown, in the blocks tion for criminals.” surrounding the city’s oldest, ugliest public housing complex, Many of the tickets did go to convicted criminals, including some F the world is only as large as the distance they can ride their people interviewed for this report. And there are cases where police bicycles. Residents pedal to work, to school, to pick up dinner and to stopped someone under suspicious circumstances and found a gun attend church. or caught a burglar. It isn’t hard to find people who have been stopped by police and But most bike stops that led to a ticket turned up no illegal activity; issued tickets: the kid riding home from football practice, the guy only 20 percent of adults ticketed last year were arrested. detailing cars. They were cited last year along with dozens of their When police did arrest someone, it was almost always for a small neighbors. amount of drugs or a misdemeanor like trespassing. Then there was Alphonso Lee King, ordered to remove a bag of One man went to jail for refusing to sign a ticket. food and a lock from his bicycle so an officer could confiscate it “due In Davis Islands, where Mayor Bob Buckhorn lives near baseball to the fact the bicycle is worth over $500,” the officer wrote, “and King star Derek Jeter, police could issue multiple tickets. But they don’t. was not able to produce any type of documentation that he bought One recent night, the Times observed a couple leaving an ice cream the bike legally.” shop on unlit beach cruisers and a cyclist riding along the dark coast- OCTAVIO JONES | Times King said he and his brother, a scrapper, found the bike frame in line, visible only because of the reflectors on his pedals. Alphonso Lee King had his bicycle confiscated by a Tampa a Dumpster and assembled it from parts. The bike was the only way Only one ticket was written last year in Davis Islands. It went to a police officer in West Tampa because he couldn’t produce he could get around after getting out of prison last summer for deal- black man. a receipt to prove it was his. ing drugs. The same goes for Bayshore Boulevard, another of the city’s main Hear him tell his story at tbtim.es/biketickets. Tampa police impounded it for 90 days, advertising it as “found” biking destinations. Only one person got a ticket there last year. He, property, even though it had not been reported stolen. too, is black. These types of stops also happen in other low-income, high-crime, “Each neighborhood has a unique set of issues,” Castor said. “What predominantly black pockets, including Sulphur Springs and parts is a problem in one area of the city may not be in another. We have an of east Tampa. obligation to address the individual issues that plague each neigh- In Tampa Heights, police stopped 63-year-old Lloyd Brown for not borhood.” having lights on his bike — except that he did, and they almost imme- For weeks, the Times asked Castor for an interview. But the police diately acknowledged that. “Well, I’m glad to see you’re in compliance chief declined, instead providing written statements. today, sir,” an officer said as a dashboard camera recorded. Mayor Buckhorn also declined comment, saying Castor’s state- But the 2013 encounter didn’t end there. The officer kept Brown’s ment “speaks for itself.” ID and questioned him about what he’d bought at the grocery store. The Times’ findings concern others — Hillsborough circuit judges The interrogation escalated to whether he used drugs, and a search and the public defender, social rights advocates and some of the lead- revealed a small amount of crack. ing researchers in race and policing. “Let me explain something to you, okay?” the officer said. “If you “You almost roll your eyes when you read the reports,” Circuit do anything dumb, your head will hit this ground very hard, okay? Judge Tracy Sheehan said. “Oh no, another bike stop, another kid rid- And you will go to the hospital before you go to jail.” ing on the handlebars, here we go. And certainly, we have laws and The felony charge, pleaded down to a misdemeanor, impeded we should all follow the law, but it occurred to me the stops were all Brown’s ability to get an apartment, forcing him to move in with rel- occurring in certain neighborhoods and with certain children, and atives. not in my neighborhood, and not with the white kids.” Brown was shuttling from one home to another one morning a Joyce Hamilton Henry, director of advocacy for ACLU of Florida, OCTAVIO JONES | Times few weeks ago in North Tampa, towing all of his belongings on his wants to know: “If it’s not racial profiling, what is it?” Lloyd Brown’s raincoat hung over his rear light when an bike, when another officer stopped him for riding in the middle of officer stopped him in 2013. The officer questioned and the street. Biking While Black | | Tampa Bay Times 1searched him, and arrested him for drug possession. The officer checked his identification and flipped his bike to look LIVINGSTON AWARD FORSee YOUNG the dashcam JOURNALISTS video at tbtim.es/biketickets. at the serial number. It bore a sticker: God’s Pedal Power Ministry. “I • • • got it from a church!” Brown said. hen first asked about the bicycle tickets, Tampa police The officer sent him on his way. directed inquiries to Capt. Ruben Delgado, who provided The scenario has become cliche in these parts, where kids as young W reporters withhave a strategy laws createdand we a few should years ago all to follow encour- the as 12 describe the same dance that grown men recall from growing age cyclists to registerlaw, their butbikes it so occurred officers could to identify me the them stops if up in Tampa. they were stolen. were all occurring in certain neigh- * * * * T“It’ampas always Bay Times the | light, Sunda ory, A topril run19, 2 01your5 | VIN9A number,” said 31-year-old He denied bicycle law was being used primarily to root out drugs Anthony Gilbert of College Hill. “ ‘Let’s have your ID. Just stand in or fight crime unrelatedborhoods to bikes. and with certain children, front of my cruiser.’ Now, you’re being humiliated. Your friend’s riding “We want to see the andthefts not of b icyclesin my go neighborhood, down. We want to sandee the not by. Your reverend might be riding by. Now, you’ve got to go to church. safety get better, so ODDStherewith are theless crashes,”white ARE kids.”he said. “Whether Y OU’REit leads BLACK The pastor’s going to be like, ‘What happened, son?’ ” to something else or not isJoyce going toHamilton be secondar Henry,y.” Director of Last year, officers stopped a man in Belmont Heights after he ran a He said when officers find people in violation of bike law, they A TAMPA sBAtopY sign TIMES on an unlitINVESTI bike. TheyGA TsearchedION 33-year-old Artis Hancock, hand out lights and giveAdvocacy warnings. Tickets, for ACLU he said, of are Florida, a last resort. wants and when he tried to flee, a scuffle ensued. Hancock wound up on But the Times foundto that know: the department “If it’s hasnot ticketed racial hundreds profiling, of the ground as an officer punched, kicked and choked him to uncon- black bicyclists each yearwhat for more is it?” than a decade. sciousness. The racial breakdown Whenof the tickets first suggests asked police about are usingthe tbicycleheir The officer said Hancock reached for his Taser. A public defender discretion differently when it comes to bikes. For more serious driv- later argued the search was illegal and that Hancock’s charges, ing offenses, blacks weretickets, not more Tampa likely policeto be cited. directed For failing inqui to - “Certainly,“Certainly, we have we havelaws and laws we and should including drug possession, should be dismissed. stop at a red light in 20ries14, blacks to Capt. got only Ruben 11 percent Delgado, of tickets. Bik whoe In Hillsborough Circuit Court, Judge Samantha Ward listened to tickets that year, 81 percent.provided reporters with a strategy allwe follow should the law, all butfollow it occurred the law, to me the officers try to justify their suspicion that Hancock may have had a Internal police departmentcreated records a few showyears a agosustained to encourage effort to thebut stops it wereoccurred all occurring to me thein c ertainstops weapon on him, which they said prompted them to search Hancock encourage bike stops as a means to reduce more serious crimes. neighborhoods and with certain children, without consent. Officers get yearly “productivitycyclists to reports,” register calc theirulating bikes, in part, so how offi - were all occurring in certain “He was in a high-crime area,” one officer said. many tickets they give.cers One personnelcould identify file detailed them a “red if grid they patrol” were and not in my neighborhood, and not with “He had large clothing,” another said. in which officers are encouragedstolen. to “engage and identify offenders neighborhoods and with Before she dismissed all of Hancock’s criminal charges, Ward through street checks, bike stops and traffic stops.” the white kids.” quipped: In another file, a supervisorHe denied told a newbicycle officer law he should was learnbeing Circuitcertain Judge children, Tracy Sheehan and not in “Was he black, too?” rarely used traffic statutes.used Tprimarilyhe fact that tohe wasnroot’t outfamiliar drugs with or Watch her interview video at tbtim.es/biketickets. . Continued on 9A fight crime unrelated to bikes. my neighborhood, and not “We want to see the thefts of bicy- with the white kids.” cles go down. We want to see the safe- Circuit Judge Tracy Sheehan ty get better so there are less crashes,” he said. “Whether it leads to some- thing else or not is going to be second- Racial disparity ary.” The percentage of bike tickets issued OCTAVIO JONES | Times BicyclisHets ride said after sunsetwhen on Bayshoreofficers Boulevard find inpeople South Tampa where,to lastblack year, onlypeople one ticket by was the given Tampa to a bicyclist Police without a light. He was black. in violation of bike law, they hand out Department remains consistently . Conlightstinued fr andom 8A give warnings. Tickets, he Racialhigh yeardisparity to year even as the total Did he have anything illegal on him, they asked? • • • The percentage of bike tickets issued to black people by the He told the truth and went to jail. said, are a last resort. Tanumbermpa Police Department of tickets remains varies consistently widely. high year to year Circuit Judge Rex Barbas ultimately dismissed the case because ampa officers’ emphasis on bike stops is a logical extension of even as the total number of tickets varies widely. officers didn’t read Antonio his rights before questioning him. Most theBut department the Times’s crime-fighting found philosoph thaty. the de - often, though, the cases stick, because officers can stop people for one TpartmentLike many citieshas across ticketed the nation, hundreds Tampa for years of has 1500 reason even if they have another. embraced “proactive” policing. Tickets “It’s legal,” Barbas said. “But unfair.” issued Tickets Insteadblack of waitingbicyclists to respond each to 911 calls,year officers for now more look for to black issued to Barbas spent three years hearing juvenile cases. He couldn’t ways to initiate contact with potential lawbreakers and head off people people of remember a single white kid arrested after a bike stop. than a decade. other crime before it happens. 1200 races “We’d like to think we can all go about our lives without intrusion, AgenciesThe across racial the countr breakdowny, including Tampa, of credit the the tick approach- without anybody looking in our pockets,” Judge Sheehan said. “If for a steep decrease in crime. we’re all going to take a hard approach on bike riding without lights, Earlierets thissuggests year, Castor spokepolice in Washington are using in front oftheir President then let’s do it across the city and across the county.” Barackdiscretion Obama’s Task Fdifferentlyorce on 21st Century when Policing .it comes She emphasized the importance of building trust in high-crime 900 neighborhoods. to bikes. For more serious driving of- • • • “Every encounter with an officer is an opportunity to build a pos- itivefenses, partnership blacks in the community. were Itnot creates more trust that likely must be to the ven if a stop amounts to no more than a bike ticket, it can still foundationbe cited. of our relationship For failing with our citizens,”to stop she said.at a red have lasting consequences. “I always remind them to never lose sight of the power they have 600 E Children as young as 11 have been ticketed and reported to in theirlight badges, in the 2014, power toblacks not only take got aw ayonly someone 11’s perfreedom,- collection agencies, the Times found. but possibly their life. This power must be used wisely and only when The consequences worsen when they begin to drive. necessarcenty.” of tickets. Bike tickets that year, Eric Davis, who grew up in one of the zones patrolled by the Bicy- Experts81 percent. say the trust Castor references is not helped when communi- 300 cle Blitzkrieg squad, racked up 13 bike tickets as a teen. ties feel they are being targeted by practices like Tampa’s bike citation The unpaid tickets triggered a driver’s license suspension, which efforts. InternalPolice departments police can — department and have — gotten in records trouble when landed Davis in jail when he was caught behind the wheel of a car. proactive policing leads to racially lopsided enforcement of the law. Now 23, he has been deemed a “habitual traffic offender,” even Ashow federal judge a sustained in 2013 declared effort New York’ tos “stop encourage and frisk” pro- though he never got a ticket for bad driving. grambike unconstitutional stops as and a ordered means reforms. to reduce more ’03’04 ’05’06 ’07’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 Davis said he didn’t understand the implications when he got his And this year, the U.S. Justice Department declared illegal cer- Source: Hillsborough County Clerk of Court Times first ticket at 15. “I didn’t know it would go to my license,” he said. “It’s tainserious biased tactics crimes. used by police in Ferguson, Mo., where 18-year- just nasty, man.” old MichaelOfficers Brown, shot get dead yearly by an of fice“productivityr, was initially stopped re- for Despite the thousands of hours spent by police, court clerks, pub- walking in the middle of the street. lic defenders, prosecutors and judges on enforcement of bicycle laws, In their investigation, officials highlighted the percentage of cita- Breakdown of Don’t want a bike it’s hard to tell what Tampa gets out of them. tions police wrote to blacks in Ferguson. They got 90 percent of tick- bicycle tickets issued ticket? Avoid Even though 2013 was one of the department’s highest ticketing ets even though they make up only 67 percent of the population. by Tampa police these behaviors years, bike crashes still rose the following year by 20 percent. Bike When it comes to bike tickets, Tampa’s disparity is even more| 5 | From 2003 to 2014 thefts, too, climbed 15 percent. extreme. Carrying a friend on the Ticketed bicyclists are being arrested mostly for small drug busts In her written statement, Castor said the high number of tickets handlebars or for misdemeanor charges that stem from their interaction with written to black cyclists in Tampa had nothing to do with their race. The law forbids “carrying police during the stop, the Times found. As evidence, she cited the racial breakdown of people arrested in Black more persons at one time Castor said many people guilty of serious crimes are not issued a Tampa for driving drunk. Last year, 76 percent of them were white 8,306 than the number for which bike ticket during a stop. For that reason, the Times’ analysis would men. it is designed.” not capture them. “That does not mean we are targeting white males, it simply means White Riding without a light “We continue to believe that our enforcement practices have that we are addressing a crime pattern,” Castor wrote. “If those driv- 1,587 reduced crime in Tampa,” Castor said. ers weren’t driving impaired, they would not be stopped. The same You can’t rely on just the Time will tell if it works for Raymond Contreras. applies to bicyclists.” reflectors that come with In 2013, two officers spotted the 53-year-old as he rode his bicycle Sam Brooke, deputy legal director of the Economic Justice Proj- your bike. The law requires through a stop sign on a residential street. He was an easy arrest. ect of the Southern Poverty Law Center, said the Times’ findings a white front light visible The previous year, the same officers had stopped him on his bike reminded him of both Ferguson and “stop and frisk.” Other from 500 feet, and a back and found cocaine under the rim of his hat. He did a week in jail and Other Hispanic 450 red light visible from 600 “If we authorize police to stop everyone walking down the street at 11 159 walked away from the courthouse owing just court costs. all times, they would, of course, find people violating the law,” Brooke feet. Have neither? You can Now here he was again, riding a bike, wearing a hat. said. “The question is, if we, as a society, should be tolerating that.” Total tickets: 10,513 get two tickets. Another piece of crack, another felony case. After five months of Source: Hillsborough Times Riding too slowly court hearings and a seven-page motion to suppress by his public County Clerk of Court If there is no bike lane, defender, Contreras walked away with a down-pleaded misdemeanor and more court costs. • • • keep up with the speed of cars, or ride close to the Since 2008, Tampa police officers have ticketed Contreras 17 times ike stops have led to enough arrests that some Hillsborough right-hand curb. Bike law for bicycle offenses, from riding a bike without a light to riding more County judges have begun to notice the racial disparity. More at tampabay.com doesn’t specify how close. than “two abreast.” Chief Castor said he has been stopped other times B Typical of their defendants is 14-year-old Antonio Barnes, To see interactive maps show- No hands, ma! and issued only warnings. who sped home past the broken windows of Belmont Heights a cou- ing the racial makeup of Tampa Sometimes, they find a personal stash of drugs, sometimes they Until 2012, it was illegal to ple of years ago, hoping to return borrowed headphones to a relative neighborhoods and the number don’t. He owes more than $1,000 in bike tickets and another $1,000 ride without at least one before the last bus of the night. He pedaled his unlit bike as fast as he of bike tickets issued in each area, in court costs. hand on the grips. Though could until he was bathed in the spotlight of a police cruiser. go to tbtim.es/biketickets. No one has collected a dime. it’s legal now, Tampa “I was so scared,” he remembers. He had a small amount of mari- police still ticketed people juana in his pocket. Times computer-assisted reporting specialist Connie Humburg, last year for riding with no Almost instantly, the cops were out of their cruiser, ordering him researcher Caryn Baird, data specialist Alexis N. Sanchez and photographer hands. to get off the bike, get his hand out of his pocket, tell them his name. Octavio Jones contributed to this report. Contact Alexandra Zayas at Antonio couldn’t even remember that. He was out of breath, soaked [email protected] or (727) 893-8413. Contact Kameel Stanley at in sweat, staring at the light like a deer in traffic. [email protected] or (727) 893-8643.

OCTAVIO JONES | Times OCTAVIO JONES | Times Jamarcus Randolph, left, watches his friends Angel Johnson, 17, center, and Alex Carter talk at Herbert Johnson is one of at least three workers at the West Fortune Street Fish Market in West the North Boulevard Homes, where bike tickets have often been issued. Tampa who have been stopped on their bikes. * * * * Tampa Bay Times | Sunday, April 19, 2015 | 9A ODDS ARE YOU’RE BLACK A TAMPA BAY TIMES INVESTIGATION

* * * * Tampa Bay Times | Sunday, April 19, 2015 | 9A ODDS ARE YOU’RE BLACK A TAMPA BAY TIMES INVESTIGATION

OCTAVIO JONES | Times Bicyclists ride after sunset on Bayshore Boulevard in South Tampa where, last year, only one ticket was given to a bicyclist without a light. He was black. OCTAVIO JONES | Times Bicyclists ride after sunset on Bayshore Boulevard in South Tampa where, last year, only one ticket was given to a bicyclist without a light. He was black. . Continued from 8A Racial disparity Did he have anything illegal on him, they asked? •. • Con • tinued from 8A The percentage Racialof bike disparity tickets issued to black people by the DidHe he toldhave anythingthe truth illegal and on went him, they to jasked?ail. • • • The percentage of bike tickets issued to black people by the He told the truth and went to jail. Tampa Police DepartmentTampa Police Departmentremains consistently remains consistently high highyear year to toyear year CircCircuit Judgeuit Judge Rex Barbas Rex ultimatelyBarbas ultimatelydismissed the dismissed case because the case because ampa officers’ emphasis on bikeampa stops officers’ is a emphasislogical eonxtension bike stops of is a logicaleven extension as the of totaleven number as the totalof tickets number variesof tickets widely. varies widely. ofofficersficers didn didn’t read’t Antonio read Antonio his rights beforehis rights questioning before him. questioning Most him. Most the department’s crime-fighting philosophy. often, though, the cases stick, because officers can stop people for one the department’s crime-fighting philosophy. 1500 often, though, the cases stick, because officers can stop people for one Like many cities acrossT the nation,Like many T ampacities across for yearsthe nation, has Tampa for1500 years has reasonreason even e ifven they if have they another have. another. T embraced “proactive” policing. Tickets “It’s legal,” Barbas said. “But unfair.” Tickets issued Tickets embraced “proactive” policing. Instead of waiting to respond to 911 calls, officers now look for Barbas“It’s legal,”spent three Barbas years said. hearing “But juvenile unfair cases..” He couldn’t issued to blackTickets issued to people of Instead of waiting to respondways to 911to initiate calls, contact officers with now potential look lawbreakers for and head off to black peopleissued to rememberBarbas a single spent white three kid arrested years after hearing a bike stop. juvenile cases. He couldn’t crime before it happens. other “We’d like to think we can all go about our lives without intrusion, ways to initiate contact with potential lawbreakers and head off 1200 people peopleraces of remember a single white kid arrested after a bike stop. Agencies across the country, including Tampa, credit the approach other without anybody looking in our pockets,” Judge Sheehan said. “If crime before it happens. for a steep decrease in crime. 1200 races we’re“W all e’dgoing like to take to think a hard approachwe can onall bike go aboutriding without our lives lights, without intrusion, Agencies across the country, includingEarlier this Tampa, year, Castor credit spoke the in approach Washington in front of President thenwithout let’s do itanybody across the city looking and across in theour count pockets,”y.” Judge Sheehan said. “If for a steep decrease in crime. Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. we’re all going to take a hard approach on bike riding without lights, She emphasized the importance of building trust in high-crime 900 Earlier this year, Castor spoke neighborhoods.in Washington in front of President then let’s do it across the city and across the county.” • • • Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st “EverCenturyy encounter Policing with. an officer is an opportunity to build a pos- She emphasized the importanceitive partnershipof building in thetrust community. in high-crime It creates trust that900 must be the ven if a stop amounts to no more than a bike ticket, it can still foundation of our relationship with our citizens,” she said. have lasting consequences. neighborhoods. 600 “I always remind them to never lose sight of the power they have E Children as young as 11 have been• ticketed • • and reported to “Every encounter with an officerin their is an badges, opportunity the power to to not build only take a pos- away someone’s freedom, collection agencies, the Times found. itive partnership in the community.but possibly It creates their life.trust This that power must must bebe usedthe wisely and only when The consequencesven if a s worsentop amounts when they to begin no to more drive. than a bike ticket, it can still foundation of our relationship withnecessar our y.citizens,”” she said. Eric Davis,have who lasting grew up c inonsequences. one of the zones patrolled by the Bicy- Experts say the trust Castor references is not helped when600 communi- 300 cle Blitzkrieg squad, racked up 13 bike tickets as a teen. “I always remind them to neverties lose feel they sight are ofbeing the targeted power by theypractices ha likeve Tampa’s bike citation EThe unpaidC ticketshildren triggered as young a driver as’s 11license have suspension, been ticketed which and reported to in their badges, the power to notef onlyforts. takePolice awdepartmentsay someone can —’s and freedom, have — got ten in trouble when landedcollection Davis in agencies, jail when he the was Times caught found. behind the wheel of a car. proactive policing leads to racially lopsided enforcement of the law. Now 23, he has been deemed a “habitual traffic offender,” even but possibly their life. This power mustA federal be usedjudge inwisely 2013 declared and only New w Yhenork’s “stop and frisk” pro- thoughThe he consequencesnever got a ticket for worsen bad driving when. they begin to drive. necessary.” gram unconstitutional and ordered reforms. ’03’04 ’05’06 ’07’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 DaEricvis said Davis, he didn who’t understand grew up the in implications one of the when zones he got patrolled his by the Bicy- Experts say the trust Castor referencesAnd this is notyear, helped the U.S. whenJustice communi- Department declared300 illegal cer- Source: Hillsborough County Clerk of Court Times firstcle ticket Blitzkrieg at 15. “I didn squad,’t know racked it would up go 13to mybike license,” tickets he said. as a “It’ teen.s ties feel they are being targeted bytain practices biased tactics like usedTampa’s by police bike in citationFerguson, Mo., where 18-year- just nastyThe, man.unpaid” tickets triggered a driver’s license suspension, which old Michael Brown, shot dead by an officer, was initially stopped for Despite the thousands of hours spent by police, court clerks, pub- efforts. Police departments can —walking and have in the — middle gotten of the in s treet.trouble when liclanded defenders, Davis prosecutors in jail and when judges he on enforcementwas caught of bicyclebehind laws, the wheel of a car. proactive policing leads to racially lopsidedIn their investigation, enforcement officials of the highlighted law. the percentage of cita- Breakdown of Don’t want a bike it’sNo hardw to23, tell hewhat has Tampa been gets outdeemed of them. a “habitual traffic offender,” even A federal judge in 2013 declaredtions New police Y wroteork’s to “stop blacks and in Ferguson. frisk” Theypro- got 90 percent of tick- bicycle tickets issued ticket? Avoid thoughEven though he never 2013 was got one a ticketof the department for bad driving’s highest. ticketing ets even though they make up only 67 percent of the population. by Tampa police years, bike crashes still rose the following year by 20 percent. Bike gram unconstitutional and orderedWhen reforms. it comes to bike Bikingtickets, While Tampa’s Black disparity | 1 | is Tampa even ’0more 3’Bay Times04From ’05’ 200306 to ’020147’08 ’09 ’10these ’11 beha ’12 ’13viors ’14 thefts,Da too,vis climbed said he 15 percent. didn’t understand the implications when he got his Carrying a friend on the And this year, the U.S. Justiceextreme. Department declaredLIVINGSTON illegal AWARD cer- FOR YOUNGSource: JOURNALISTS Hillsborough County Clerk of Court Times firstTicketed ticket bicyclists at 15. are “I beingdidn ’tarrested know mostly it would for small go to drug my busts license,” he said. “It’s tain biased tactics used by police Iinn her Ferguson, written statement, Mo., where Castor said18-year- the high number of tickets handlebars orjust for misdemeanornasty, man. charges” that stem from their interaction with old Michael Brown, shot dead bywrit ant enof tofice blackr, was cyclists initially in Tampa stopped had nothing for to do with their race. The law forbids “carrying policeDespite during the the stop, thousands the Times found. of hours spent by police, court clerks, pub- As evidence, she cited the racial breakdown of people arrested in Black more persons at one time Castor said many people guilty of serious crimes are not issued a walking in the middle of the street.Tports,”ampa for calculating, driving drunk. in Last part, year, how 76 percent many of themBreakdown were white of bicycle8,306 than the number for which bikelic ticketdefenders, during a prosecutors stop. For that reason, and judges the Times on’ analysis enforcement would of bicycle laws, In their investigation, officialsmen. ticketshighlighted they give.the percentage One personnel of cita- file Breakdown of Don’tit isw designed.ant a” bike notit ’scapture hard them. to tell what Tampa gets out of them. “That does not mean we are targeting white males, it ticketssimply mean sissued by Tampa “We continue to believe that our enforcement practices have tions police wrote to blacks in Ferguson.detailed They a “red got grid 90 patrol”percent in of which tick- bicycle tickets issued White Riding without a light Even though 2013 was one of the department’s highest ticketing that we are addressing a crime pattern,” Castor wrote. “If those driv- 1,587ticket? Avoid reduced crime in Tampa,” Castor said. ets even though they make up onlyersofficers 67 weren percent’t aredriving encouragedof impaired,the population. they to would “engage not be stopped.policeby The Ta samem pa police You can’t rely on just the years,Time will bike tell if crashes it works for still Raymond rose Contreras.the following year by 20 percent. Bike applies to bicyclists.” From 2003 to 2014 thesereflectors beha thatvior comes with In 2013, two officers spotted the 53-year-old as he rode his bicycle When it comes to bike tickets,and Tampa’s identify disparity offenders isthrough even more street From 2003 to 2014 your bike. The law requires thefts, too, climbed 15 percent. extreme. checks,Sam Brooke, bike deputystops andlegal trafficdirector ofstops.” the Economic Justice Proj- Carrying a friend on the throughTicketed a stop sign bicyclists on a residential are being street. He arrested was an easy mostly arrest. for small drug busts ect of the Southern Poverty Law Center, said the Times’ findings a white front light visible The previous year, the same officers had stopped him on his bike In her written statement, CastorremindedIn said another himthe of high both file, Fnumbererguson a supervisor and of “stop ticke andtoldts frisk. ” Otherhandlebarsfrom 500 feet, and a back andor found for misdemeanor cocaine under the rimcharges of his hat. that He stemdid a week from in j ailtheir and interaction with Other Hispanic 450 red light visible from 600 written to black cyclists in Tampaa had “Ifnew we nothing authorizeofficer to hepolice do should withto stop their elearnveryone r ace.rarely walking down the street at 11 159 The law forbids “carrying walkedpolice aw duringay from the the courthouse stop, the owing Times just found.court costs. allused times, traffic they would, statutes. of course, The find fact people that violating he the law,” Brooke feet. Have neither? You can Now here he was again, riding a bike, wearing a hat. As evidence, she cited the racial breakdown of people arrested in Black Total tickets: 10,513 more personsget two tickets. at one time Castor said many people guilty of serious crimes are not issued a said.wasn’t “The familiar question is, with if we, asthem a society was, should not be- tolerating that.” Another piece of crack, another felony case. After five months of Tampa for driving drunk. Last year, 76 percent of them were white 8,306 Source: Hillsborough Timesthan theRiding number too slowl fory which courtbike hearings ticket andduring a seven-page a stop. motion For that to suppress reason, by the his publicTimes ’ analysis would ed as a “significant weakness” in his County Clerk of Court men. it is designed.If there is” no bike lane, defender,not capture Contreras them. walked away with a down-pleaded misdemeanor 2012 performance review. The next and more court costs. “That does not mean we are targeting white males, it simply• • • means keep up with the speed of “We continue to believe that our enforcement practices have White Riding without a light Since 2008, Tampa police officers have ticketed Contreras 17 times that we are addressing a crime patyear,tern, the” Castor new officerwrote. “Ifimpressed those driv- his cars, or ride close to the reduced crime in Tampa,” Castor said. bossesike with stops hishave “dramatic led to enough increase” arrests that in some Hillsborough 1,587 You can’tright-hand rely on curb. just Bike the la w for bicycle offenses, from riding a bike without a light to riding more ers weren’t driving impaired, they wouldCounty not judges be havestopped. begun to The notice same the racial disparity. More at tampabay.com doesn’t specify how close. thanTime “two abreast.” will tell Chief if itCastor works said for he has Raymond been stopped Contreras. other times “self-initiated activity.” reflectors that come with applies to bicyclists.” B Typical of their defendants is 14-year-old Antonio Barnes, To see interactive maps show- No hands, ma! and issuedIn 2013, only twowarnings. officers spotted the 53-year-old as he rode his bicycle whoHe sped wrote home 111 past bike the broken tickets, windows the most of Belmont Heights a cou- ing the racial makeup of Tampa Sometimes, they find a personal stash of drugs, sometimes they your bike.Until The 2012, law it was requires illegal to Sam Brooke, deputy legal directorple of years of the ago, Economic hoping to return Justice borrowed Proj- headphones to a relative neighborhoods and the number donthrough’t. He owes a smoretop signthan $1,000 on a residential in bike tickets s andtreet. another He was $1,000 an easy arrest. in the department. All but four of the a whiteride front without light at visible least one ect of the Southern Poverty Lawbefore Center, the last said bus of the the night.Times He’ pedaledfindings his unlit bike as fast as he of bike tickets issued in each area, in courtThe costs. previous year, the same officers had stopped him on his bike cyclists were black. hand on the grips. Though could until he was bathed in the spotlight of a police cruiser. go to tbtim.es/biketicketsOther . from 500 feet, and a back No one has collected a dime. reminded him of both Ferguson and “stop and frisk.” it’s legal now, Tampa and found cocaine under the rim of his hat. He did a week in jail and “IBike was sotickets scared,” got he specialremembers. attention He had a insmall amount ofOther mari- Hispanic 450 red light visible from 600 police still ticketed people “If we authorize police to stop ejuana2007veryone in when his pocketwalking a squad. down set outthe onstreet a mis at - 11 159 Timeswalked computer-assisted away from reporting the courthouse specialist Connie owing Humburg, just court costs. feet. Havelast year neither? for riding Y ouwith can no all times, they would, of course, findsionAlmost people dubbed instantly, violating “Bicycle the cops the Blitzkrieg.” were law, out” Brook of theire cruiser, ordering him researcherNow Caryn here Baird, he wasdata specialist again, Alexis riding N. Sanchez a bike, and wearing photographer a hat. Total tickets: 10,513 get twohands. tickets. said. “The question is, if we, as a societyto geThet off, goal,shouldthe bike, according gebet histolerating hand toout a ofthat. departhis pocket,” - tell them his name. OctavioAnother Jones contributed piece to of this crack, report. Contact another Alexandra felony Zayas case. at After five months of [email protected] or (727) 893-8413. Contact Kameel Stanley at Antonio couldn’t even remember that. He was out of breath,Source: soaked Hillsborough Times Riding too slowly court hearings and a seven-page motion to suppress by his public inment sweat, memo, staring at thewas light “to like aggressively a deer in traffic. [email protected] or (727) 893-8643. enforce bicycle infractions … where County Clerk of Court If there is no bike lane, defender, Contreras walked away with a down-pleaded misdemeanor and more court costs. • • • keep up with the speed of cars, or ride close to the Since 2008, Tampa police officers have ticketed Contreras 17 times ike stops have led to enough arrests that some Hillsborough right-hand curb. Bike law for bicycle offenses, from riding a bike without a light to riding more County judges have begun to notice the racial disparity. More at tampabay.com doesn’t specify how close. than “two abreast.” Chief Castor said he has been stopped other times B Typical of their defendants is 14-year-old Antonio Barnes, To see interactive maps show- No hands, ma! and issued only warnings. who sped home past the broken windows of Belmont Heights a cou- ing the racial makeup of Tampa Sometimes, they find a personal stash of drugs, sometimes they Until 2012, it was illegal to ple of years ago, hoping to return borrowed headphones to a relative neighborhoods and the number don’t. He owes more than $1,000 in bike tickets and another $1,000 ride without at least one before the last bus of the night. He pedaled his unlit bike as fast as he of bike tickets issued in each area, in court costs. hand on the grips. Though could until he was bathed in the spotlight of a police cruiser. go to tbtim.es/biketickets. No one has collected a dime. it’s legal now, Tampa “I was so scared,” he remembers. He had a small amount of mari- police still ticketed people juana in his pocket. Times computer-assisted reporting specialist Connie Humburg, last year for riding with no Almost instantly, the cops were out of their cruiser, ordering him researcher Caryn Baird, data specialist Alexis N. Sanchez and photographer hands. to get off the bike, get his hand out of his pocket, tell them his name. Octavio Jones contributed to this report. Contact Alexandra Zayas at Antonio couldn’t even remember that. He was out of breath, soaked [email protected] or (727) 893-8413. Contact Kameel Stanley at in sweat, staring at the light like a deer in traffic. [email protected] or (727) 893-8643.

Jamarcus Randolph, left, watches his friends Angel Johnson, 17, center, and AlexOCTAVIO Carter JONES talk | at Times OCTAVIO JONES | Times Jamarcusthe North BoulevardRandolph, Homes,left, wa tcheswhere his bike friends tickets Angel have Johnson, often been 17, issued. center, and Alex Carter talk at Herbert Johnson is one of at least three workers at the West Fortune Street Fish Market in West the North Boulevard Homes, where bike tickets have often been issued. Tampa who have been stopped on their bikes.

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OCTAVIO JONES | Times OCTAVIO JONES | Times Jamarcus Randolph, left, watches his friends Angel Johnson, 17, center, and Alex Carter talk at Herbert Johnson is one of at least three workers at the West Fortune Street Fish Market in West the North Boulevard Homes, where bike tickets have often been issued. Tampa who have been stopped on their bikes. Biking While Black | 1 | Tampa Bay Times LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS

Bicyclists ride after sunset on Bayshore Boulevard in South Tampa where, last year, only one ticket was given to a bicyclist without a light. He was black.

there has been increased criminal ac- repeal back in 2012, when legislators tivity.” were encouraged to weed out archaic Stopping people on bikes, especial- and obsolete laws. ly at night, would introduce officers This one fit the bill. to “potential criminals, thus opening “It was against the law,” she said. more avenues to make arrests and “I mean, really? … As a kid, I used to clear the streets of the subjects that ride without my hands all the time.” are committing the crimes.” During the three-month blitz, offi- • • • cers arrested dozens and issued 266 citations and the squad was given an For many who live just west of award lauding its “significant impact downtown, in the blocks surrounding in reducing crime.” the city’s oldest, ugliest public hous- For the past three years, no law en- ing complex, the world is only as large forcement agency in the state has as the distance they can ride their bi- given as many bicycle tickets as the cycles. Residents pedal to work, to Tampa Police Department. It is re- school, to pick up dinner and to at- sponsible for 12 percent of all bike tend church. tickets written in Florida. It isn’t hard to find people who have Last year, Tampa police wrote at been stopped by police and issued least four tickets for something no tickets: The kid riding home from longer illegal: riding a bike without football practice, the guy detailing holding the handlebars. cars. They were cited last year along Former Sen. Ellyn Bogdan - with dozens of their neighbors. off, R-Fort Lauderdale, re - Then there was Alphonso Lee King, members submitting the violation for ordered to remove a bag of food and

| 7 | Biking While Black | 1 | Tampa Bay Times LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS a lock from his bicycle so an officer could confiscate it “due to the fact the Don’t want a bike bicycle is worth over $500,” the officer ticket? Avoid these wrote, “and King was not able to pro- behaviors duce any type of documentation that he bought the bike legally.” Carrying a friend on the King said he and his brother, a handlebars scrapper, found the bike frame in a The law forbids “carrying more Dumpster and assembled it from persons at one time than the parts. The bike was the only way he number for which it is designed.” could get around after getting out of prison last summer for dealing drugs. Riding without a light Tampa police impounded it for 90 You can’t rely on just the days, advertising it as “found” prop- reflectors that come with your erty, even though it had not been re- bike. Statute requires a white ported stolen. front light visible from 500 feet, These types of stops also happen in and a back red light visible from other low-income, high-crime, pre- 600 feet. Have neither? You can dominantly black pockets, including get two tickets. Sulphur Springs and parts of East Tampa. Riding too slowly In Tampa Heights, police stopped If there is no bike lane, keep up 63-year-old Lloyd Brown for not with the speed of cars, or ride having lights on his bike — except he close to the right-hand curb. did, and they almost immediately ac- Bike law doesn’t specify how knowledged that. “Well, I’m glad to close. see you’re in compliance today, sir,” an officer said as a dashboard camera re- No hands, ma! corded. Until 2012, it was illegal to ride But the 2013 encounter didn’t end without at least one hand on there. The officer kept Brown’s iden- the grips. Though it’s legal tification and questioned him about now, Tampa Police still ticketed what he’d bought at the grocery store. people last year for riding with The interrogation escalated to no hands. whether he used drugs, and a search revealed a small amount of crack. “Let me explain something to you, all of his belongings on his bike, when okay?” the officer said. “If you do any- another officer stopped him for riding thing dumb, your head will hit this in the middle of the street. ground very hard, okay? And you will The officer checked his identifica- go to the hospital before you go to tion and flipped his bike to look at the jail.” serial number. It bore a sticker: God’s The felony charge, pleaded down Pedal Power Ministry. “I got it from a to a misdemeanor, impeded Brown’s church!” Brown said. ability to get an apartment, forcing The officer sent him on his way. him to move in with relatives. The scenario has become cliche in Brown was shuttling from one these parts, where kids as young as 12 home to another one morning a few describe the same dance grown men weeks ago in North Tampa, towing recall from growing up in Tampa.

| 8 | * * * * Tampa Bay Times | Sunday, April 19, 2015 | 9A ODDS ARE YOU’RE BLACK A TAMPA BAY TIMES INVESTIGATION

OCTAVIO JONES | Times Bicyclists ride after sunset on Bayshore Boulevard in South Tampa where, last year, only one ticket was given to a bicyclist without a light. He was black.

. Continued from 8A Racial disparity Did he have anything illegal on him, they asked? • • • The percentage of bike tickets issued to black people by the He told the truth and went to jail. Tampa Police Department remains consistently high year to year Circuit Judge Rex Barbas ultimately dismissed the case because ampa officers’ emphasis on bike stops is a logical extension of even as the total number of tickets varies widely. officers didn’t read Antonio his rights before questioning him. Most the department’s crime-fighting philosophy. often, though, the cases stick, because officers can stop people for one T Like many cities across the nation, Tampa for years has 1500 reason even if they have another. embraced “proactive” policing. Tickets “It’s legal,” Barbas said. “But unfair.” issued Tickets Instead of waiting to respond to 911 calls, officers now look for to black issued to Barbas spent three years hearing juvenile cases. He couldn’t ways to initiate contact with potential lawbreakers and head off people people of remember a single white kid arrested after a bike stop. other crime before it happens. 1200 races “We’d like to think we can all go about our lives without intrusion, Agencies across the country, including Tampa, credit the approach without anybody looking in our pockets,” Judge Sheehan said. “If for a steep decrease in crime. we’re all going to take a hard approach on bike riding without lights, Earlier this year, Castor spoke in Washington in front of President then let’s do it across the city and across the county.” Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. She emphasized the importance of building trust in high-crime 900 neighborhoods. • • • “Every encounter with an officer is an opportunity to build a pos- itive partnership in the community. It creates trust that must be the ven if a stop amounts to no more than a bike ticket, it can still foundation of our relationship with our citizens,” she said. have lasting consequences. “I always remind them to never lose sight of the power they have 600 E Children as young as 11 have been ticketed and reported to in their badges, the power to not only take away someone’s freedom, collection agencies, the Times found. but possibly their life. This power must be used wisely and only when The consequences worsen when they begin to drive. necessary.” Eric Davis, who grew up in one of the zones patrolled by the Bicy- Experts say the trust Castor references is not helped when communi- 300 cle Blitzkrieg squad, racked up 13 bike tickets as a teen. ties feel they are being targeted by practices like Tampa’s bike citation The unpaid tickets triggered a driver’s license suspension, which efforts. Police departments can — and have — gotten in trouble when landed Davis in jail when he was caught behind the wheel of a car. proactive policing leads to racially lopsided enforcement of the law. Now 23, he has been deemed a “habitual traffic offender,” even A federal judge in 2013 declared New York’s “stop and frisk” pro- though he never got a ticket for bad driving. gram unconstitutional and ordered reforms. ’03’04 ’05’06 ’07’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 Davis said he didn’t understand the implications when he got his And this year, the U.S. Justice Department declared illegal cer- Source: Hillsborough County Clerk of Court Times first ticket at 15. “I didn’t know it would go to my license,” he said. “It’s tain biased tactics used by police in Ferguson, Mo., where 18-year- just nasty, man.” old Michael Brown, shot dead by an officer, was initially stopped for Despite the thousands of hours spent by police, court clerks, pub- walking in the middle of the street. lic defenders, prosecutors and judges on enforcement of bicycle laws, In their investigation, officials highlighted the percentage of cita- Breakdown of Don’t want a bike it’s hard to tell what Tampa gets out of them. tions police wrote to blacks in Ferguson. They got 90 percent of tick- bicycle tickets issued ticket? Avoid Even though 2013 was one of the department’s highest ticketing ets even though they make up only 67 percent of the population. by Tampa police years, bike crashes still rose the following year by 20 percent. Bike When it comes to bike tickets, Tampa’s disparity is even more From 2003 to 2014 these behaviors thefts, too, climbed 15 percent. extreme. Carrying a friend on the Ticketed bicyclists are being arrested mostly for small drug busts In her written statement, Castor said the high number of tickets handlebars or for misdemeanor charges that stem from their interaction with written to black cyclists in Tampa had nothing to do with their race. police during the stop, the Times found. The law forbids “carrying Biking While Black | 1 | Tampa Bay Times As evidence, she cited the racial breakdown of people arrested in Black more persons at one time Castor said many people guilty of serious crimes are not issued a LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS Tampa for driving drunk. Last year, 76 percent of them were white 8,306 than the number for which bike ticket during a stop. For that reason, the Times’ analysis would men. it is designed.” not capture them. “That does not mean we are targeting white males, it simply means White Riding without a light “We continue to believe that our enforcement practices have that we are addressing a crime pattern,” Castor wrote. “If those driv- reduced crime in Tampa,” Castor said. 1,587 You“It’s can’t always rely on just the the light, or to run your officers try to justify their suspicion ers weren’t driving impaired, they would not be stopped. The same VIN number,” said 31-year-oldTime willAn tell- if it thatworks Hancock for Raymond may Contreras. have had a weap- applies to bicyclists.” reflectors that come with In 2013, two officers spotted the 53-year-old as he rode his bicycle Sam Brooke, deputy legal director of the Economic Justice Proj- yourthony bike. Gilbert The law requiresof College Hill.through “ ‘Let’s a stop sign onon aon residential him, which street. they He was said an easyprompted arrest. ect of the Southern Poverty Law Center, said the Times’ findings ahave white yourfront light ID. visible Just stand inThe front previous of yearthem, the same to search officers Hancock had stopped without him on conhis- bike reminded him of both Ferguson and “stop and frisk.” Other frommy 500cruiser.’ feet, and Now, a back you’re beingand foundhumili cocaine- undersent. the rim of his hat. He did a week in jail and Other Hispanic 450 red light visible from 600 “If we authorize police to stop everyone walking down the street at 11 159 ated. Your friend’s riding by.walked Your aw revay- from the“He courthouse was in owing a high-crime just court costs. area,” said all times, they would, of course, find people violating the law,” Brooke feet. Have neither? You can Now here he was again, riding a bike, wearing a hat. Total tickets: 10,513 geterend two tickets.might be riding by. Now, you’ve one officer. said. “The question is, if we, as a society, should be tolerating that.” got to go to church. The pastor’sAnother going piece of crack,“He anotherhad large felony clothing,” case. After said five anoth months- of Source: Hillsborough Times Riding too slowly court hearings and a seven-page motion to suppress by his public County Clerk of Court Ifto there be islike, no bike ‘What lane, happened,defender, son?’ “ Contreraser. walked away with a down-pleaded misdemeanor Last year, officers stoppedand morea man court in costs.Before she dismissed all of Han- • • • keep up with the speed of cars,Belmont or ride closeHeights to the after he ranSince a stop2008, Tampacock’s police of criminalficers have ticketed charges, Contreras Ward 17 times ike stops have led to enough arrests that some Hillsborough right-handsign on ancurb. unlit Bike labike.w Theyfor searched bicycle offenses, quipped: from riding a bike without a light to riding more County judges have begun to notice the racial disparity. More at tampabay.com doesn’t33-year-old specify how Artis close. Hancock,than “two and abreast.” Chief“Was Castor he black,said he too?”has been stopped other times B Typical of their defendants is 14-year-old Antonio Barnes, To see interactive maps show- Nowhen hands, he ma! tried to flee, a scuffleand issued ensued. only warnings. who sped home past the broken windows of Belmont Heights a cou- ing the racial makeup of Tampa Sometimes, they find a personal stash of drugs, sometimes they Until 2012, it was illegal to ple of years ago, hoping to return borrowed headphones to a relative neighborhoods and the number Hancock wound up on thedon ’groundt. He owes more than $1,000 in bike• tickets • • and another $1,000 ride without at least one before the last bus of the night. He pedaled his unlit bike as fast as he of bike tickets issued in each area, as an officer punched, kickedin court costs.and hand on the grips. Though could until he was bathed in the spotlight of a police cruiser. go to tbtim.es/biketickets. choked him to unconsciousness.No one has collectedTampa a dime. officers’ emphasis on bike it’s legal now, Tampa “I was so scared,” he remembers. He had a small amount of mari- policeThe still officer ticketed said people Hancock reached stops is a logical extension of the de- juana in his pocket. Times computer-assisted reporting specialist Connie Humburg, lastfor year his f orTaser. riding withA public no defender later partment’s crime fighting philosophy. Almost instantly, the cops were out of their cruiser, ordering him researcher Caryn Baird, data specialist Alexis N. Sanchez and photographer hands. to get off the bike, get his hand out of his pocket, tell them his name. argued the search was illegalOctavio and Jones that contributed Like to this many report. citiesContact acrossAlexandra the Zayas nation, at Antonio couldn’t even remember that. He was out of breath, soaked Hancock’s charges, [email protected] drug Tampa or (727) for 893-8413. years Contact has embraced Kameel Stanley “pro at - in sweat, staring at the light like a deer in traffic. possession, should be [email protected]” or (727) policing. 893-8643. In Hillsborough Circuit Court, Instead of waiting to respond to 911 Judge Samantha Ward listened to the calls, officers now look for ways to ini-

Herbert Johnson is one of at least three workers at the West Fortune Street Fish Market in West Tampa who have been stopped on their bikes. OCTAVIO JONES | Times OCTAVIO JONES | Times Jamarcus Randolph, left, watches his friends Angel Johnson, 17, center, and Alex Carter talk at Herbert Johnson is one of at least three workers at the West Fortune Street Fish Market in West the North Boulevard Homes, where bike tickets have often been issued. Tampa who have been stopped on their bikes.

| 9 | Biking While Black | 1 | Tampa Bay Times LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS tiate contact with potential lawbreak- population. ers and head off crime before it hap- When it comes to bike tickets, Tam- pens. pa’s disparity is even more extreme. Agencies across the country, includ- In her written statement, Castor ing Tampa, credit the approach for a said the high number of tickets writ- steep decrease in crime. ten to black cyclists in Tampa had Earlier this year, Castor spoke in nothing to do with their race. Washington in front of President As evidence, she cited the racial Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st breakdown of people arrested in Century Policing. Tampa for driving drunk. Last year, She emphasized the importance of 76 percent of them were white men. building trust in high crime neigh- “That does not mean we are target- borhoods. ing white males, it simply means that “Every encounter with an officer we are addressing a crime pattern,” is an opportunity to build a positive Castor wrote. “If those drivers weren’t partnership in the community. It cre- driving impaired, they would not be ates trust that must be the foundation stopped. The same applies to bicy- of our relationship with our citizens,” clists.” she said. Sam Brooke, Deputy Legal Direc- “I always remind them to never lose tor of the Economic Justice Project sight of the power they have in their of the Southern Poverty Law Center, badges, the power to not only take said Times’ findings reminded him of away someone’s freedom, but possi- both Ferguson and “stop and frisk.” bly their life. This power must be used “If we authorize police to stop ev- wisely and only when necessary.” eryone walking down the street at Experts say the trust Castor refer- all times, they would, of course, find ences is not helped when commu- people violating the law,” Brooke said. nities feel they are being targeted by “The question is, if we, as a society, practices like Tampa’s bike citation should be tolerating that.” efforts. Police departments can — Bike stops have led to enough ar- and have — gotten in trouble when rests that some Hillsborough County proactive policing leads to racially judges have begun to notice the racial lopsided enforcement of the law. disparity. A federal judge in 2013 declared Typical of their defendants is New York’s “stop and frisk” program 14-year-old Antonio Barnes, who unconstitutional and ordered re- sped home past the broken windows forms. of Belmont Heights a couple of years And this year, the U.S. Justice De- ago, hoping to return borrowed head- partment declared illegal certain bi- phones to a relative before the last ased tactics used by police in Fergu- bus of the night. He pedalled his un- son, Mo., where 18-year-old Michael lit bike as fast as he could until he felt Brown, shot dead by an officer, was the spotlight of a police cruiser. initially stopped for walking in the middle of the street. “I was so scared,” he remembers. He In their investigation, officials high- had a small amount of marijuana in lighted the percentage of citations po- his pocket. lice wrote to blacks in Ferguson. They Almost instantly, the cops were out got 90 percent of tickets even though of their cruiser, ordering him to get they make up only 67 percent of the off the bike, get his hand out of his

| 10 | Biking While Black | 1 | Tampa Bay Times LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS pocket, tell them his name. Antonio man.” couldn’t even remember that. He was Despite the thousands of hours out of breath, soaked in sweat, staring spent by police, court clerks, public at the light like a deer in traffic. defenders, prosecutors and judges on Did he have anything illegal on him enforcement of bicycle laws, it’s hard they asked? to tell what Tampa gets out of them. He told the truth and went to jail. Even though 2013 was one of the Circuit Judge Rex Barbas ultimate- department’s highest ticketing years, ly dismissed the case because officers bike crashes still rose the following didn’t read Antonio his rights before year by 20 percent. Bike thefts, too, questioning him. Most often, though, climbed 15 percent. the cases stick, because officers can Ticketed bicyclists are being arrest- stop people for one reason even if they ed mostly for small drug busts or for have another. misdemeanor charges that stem from “It’s legal,” Barbas said. “But unfair.” their interaction with police during Barbas spent three years hearing the stop, the Times found. juvenile cases. He couldn’t remember Castor said many people guilty of a single white kid arrested after a bike serious crimes are not issued a bike stop. ticket during a stop. For that reason, “We’d like to think we can all go the Times’ analysis would not capture about our lives without intrusion, them. without anybody looking in our pock- “We continue to believe that our ets,” said Judge Sheehan. “If we’re all enforcement practices have reduced going to take a hard approach on bike crime in Tampa,” Castor said. riding without lights, then let’s do it Time will tell if it works for Ray- across the city and across the county.” mond Contreras. Even if a stop amounts to no more In 2013, two officers spotted the than a bike ticket, it can still have 53-year-old as he rode his bicycle lasting consequences. through a stop sign on a residential Children as young as 11 have been street. He was an easy arrest. ticketed and reported to collection The previous year, the same two agencies, the Times found. officers had stopped him on his bike The consequences worsen when and found cocaine under the rim they begin to drive. of his hat. He did a week in jail and Eric Davis, who grew up in one of walked away from the courthouse the zones patrolled by the Bicycle owing just court costs. Blitzkrieg squad, racked up 13 bike Now here he was again, riding a tickets as a teen. bike, wearing a hat. The unpaid tickets triggered a driv- Another piece of crack, anoth- er’s license suspension, which landed er felony case. After five months of Davis in jail when he was caught be- court hearings and a seven-page hind the wheel of a car. Now 23, he motion to suppress by his public de- has been deemed a “habitual traffic fender, Contreras walked away with offender,” even though he never got a a down-pleaded misdemeanor and single ticket for bad driving. more court costs. Davis said he didn’t understand Since 2008, Tampa police officers the implications when he got his first have ticketed Contreras 17 times for ticket at 15. “I didn’t know it would go bicycle offenses from riding a bike to my license,” he said. “It’s just nasty, without a light to riding more than

| 11 | Biking While Black | 1 | Tampa Bay Times LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS

“two abreast.” Chief Castor said he’s been stopped other times and issued only warnings. Sometimes, they find a personal stash of drugs, sometimes they don’t. He owes more than $1,000 in bike tickets and another $1,000 in court costs. No one has collected a dime.

Times computer-assisted reporting specialist Connie Humburg, researcher Caryn Baird, data specialist Alexis N. Sanchez and photojournalist Octavio Jones contributed to this report. Reach Alexandra Zayas at azayas@ tampabay.com or 727-893-8413. Follow @alexandrazayas. Reach Kameel Stanley at kstanley@ tampabay.com or 727-893-8643. Follow @cornandpotatoes. Designed by Alexis N. Sanchez.

| 12 | Biking While Black | 2 | Tampa Bay Times LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS

Biking Black | 2 LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS In Tampa, ratio leads to tickets Police in the city issue vastly more tickets because their job rating depends on it.

By Alexandra Zayas, Times Staff Writer

You may not know it, but your odds inate between a murder arrest and of getting in trouble skyrocket in a jaywalking ticket; they carry the Tampa. same weight. No valid license? You’re twice as For years, the policy has put pres- likely to get a ticket than in the rest of sure on officers to crank out arrests Florida. and tickets, leading to allegations No proof of insurance? Also double of harassment, racial profiling and the chance. over-policing. Tampa police wrote more tickets Case in point: this year’s Tampa last year than sheriff’s offices in Hill- Bay Times investigation revealing sborough, Pinellas and Pasco coun- how Tampa police wrote more tickets ties combined; more per capita than for bicycle offenses than any other law cops in Jacksonville, Miami, St. Pe- enforcement agency in the state, and tersburg and Orlando, the state’s four that eight out of 10 of the cyclists were other largest cities. black. And no other law enforcement In a series of community forums agency in the state arrests more peo- and public hearings that followed, ple than the Tampa Police Depart- complaints circled back to the idea ment. that residents of high-crime neigh- Once you understand how the de- borhoods — where the department partment measures officer productiv- allocates more officers — felt like the ity, it’s easy to see why. aggressive policing was something Each arrest, each ticket, feeds into happening to them, not for them . a formula that calculates an officer’s Jon Dengler, a white 35-year-old “productivity ratio” — number of who runs a ministry to feed the poor, hours worked divided by the number lives in Ybor Heights. In the past six of tickets and arrests. years, he has gotten nine traffic tick- The more officers do, the better they ets in Tampa, but not a single one for score. bad driving. In 2013, he got three But the formula doesn’t discrim- from the same officer, adding up to

| 2 | Biking While Black | 2 | Tampa Bay Times LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS

$345, because his registration had tools used to evaluate production in expired and he didn’t have his insur- corporate America. There was one ance card or license handy. Two of that calculated time spent on public those tickets were dismissed. aid and one that showed how often an “I love our neighborhood and I don’t officer found a case instead of waiting feel anxious or afraid,” he told City for a call to come in. Council earlier this year. “But when All of those metrics are still in place I see TPD on the street, I do get ner- today, but the one officers now refer vous. I don’t get nervous because I’m to simply as the productivity ratio cal- up to no good, but because of who culates how long it takes for an officer they are and represent in our commu- to either arrest or ticket someone. nity.” It wasn’t supposed to be like a quo- A shift is now underway at the de- ta. partment, one that could change the “This wasn’t made to say you have way officers do their jobs. to give X number of tickets, make X It involves the new chief, a new for- numbers of arrests,” Holder told the mula and a new definition for what it Times. “You can be productive with- means to be “productive.” out writing 100 tickets or putting 100 people in jail.” • • • A lot of things happened after Chief Holder retired in 2003. Though the Tampa Police Depart- Chief Stephen Hogue, and later ment produces detailed statistics to Chief Jane Castor, embraced a pro- make sure officers are doing their active policing model tasking officers jobs — counting every report they with finding crime instead of waiting write, tabulating every stolen penny for calls. Technology and statistics they recover — the ratio has proven to became increasingly important, with be a powerful little number. analysts studying crime patterns and A good one glows on an evaluation. districts deploying resources to hot A bad one can stand in the way of a spots. promotion, or even lead to a suspen- Crime dropped. sion. It’s dropped steadily across the na- “It was a good program set up to get tion, in part because of this kind of rid of the guys who weren’t produc- modern policing and in part because ing, sitting under a tree all night,” said of societal factors outside of any one Brian Reschke, a patrol officer who department’s control. retired in 2011. “It just got carried But by 2005, the department’s an- away.” nual report attributed the lowest To understand how the department crime rate in 28 years to “productivi- got to this point, you need to go back ty,” including a 14 percent increase in to 2001, when then-Police Chief Ben- citations and a 15 percent increase in nie Holder sought to come up with an arrests. answer to this question: The department arrested 10,859 “You’ve got officers out there work- more people that year — enough to ing for 40 hours,” he told the Times. fill half the city’s hockey arena — with “How do you know you’re getting 40 growth mostly in the lowest category hours of work out of them?” of offense, “miscellaneous” charges His administration implemented like driving with a suspended license. a series of measures modeled after “The assumption was, well if you go

| 3 | Biking While Black | 2 | Tampa Bay Times LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS out and make more arrests and you tume, then achieve the magic number write more tickets, crime is going to sought by my supervisors that could drop more,” said Vincent Gericitano, be — as one of my old captains said president of the Tampa Police Benev- — “easily achieved within the first 10 olent Association. minutes of each shift.” By 2007, Tampa led the state in ar- The officer was ultimately cited rests; almost half the crimes were with insubordination and violations “miscellaneous.” of standards of conduct for refusing “Some supervisors looked at the to increase traffic stops and failing to productivity ratio as the only critique improve his productivity ratio. or metric on judging an officer’s pro- He was suspended for three days. ductivity,” Gericitano said. Officers who didn’t write many • • • tickets were put on notice. There was the officer “recognized Eric Ward became chief of police by many children in the Belmont at a critical time this past May, as his Heights area as a positive role model,” department grappled with a spate of according to his evaluation. inner-city shootings, lack of witness Issue more traffic citations, his eval- cooperation and calls for a civil rights uation said. investigation of the racial disparity There was one district’s “Officer the Times found in bicycle tickets. of the Month,” also recognized for The department’s relationship with “catch of the month” twice in a year. Tampa’s black community was under Improve traffic law enforcement ... a microscope, and here came a man by 30 percent, he was told. who knew both sides of that experi- Then there was the officer whose ence. supervisor noted, “He knows the area He remembers how angry he felt as he patrols, but more importantly, a kid after an officer questioned him he knows the people and the people in a convenience store as he tried to know him... He does not talk at them buy a jug of milk. or down to them ... He is objective and But he also remembers playing in leaves people feeling he was interest- the Police Athletic League. ed in serving them.” As a first order of business, Ward Year after year, he was evaluated told officers to stop worrying so much “below expectations” because of his about their statistics and focus on poor productivity ratio. getting to know the people they po- He wrote letters to the administra- lice. tion calling the ratio “damaging... to He told supervisors to look at the the men and women who abandon many activities the department al- their ideals to comply with it.” ready tracks for each officer instead If I could only change the way I of just the ratio. treat people out here — see them less “That old fashioned ‘arrest, arrest, through the lens of sacred trust they arrest, citation, citation, citation’ is place in us and more as stats to be not the key. It’s not going to solve our harvested by us, resolution would be problem with the crime,” Ward told easy. the Times. “Getting back in to the I could merely “play the game,” see community, walking around, talking what we do not as putting on a uni- to people. That alone will reduce form but instead as wearing a cos- crime.”

| 4 | Biking While Black | 2 | Tampa Bay Times LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS

He talks of “quality over quantity,” She calls it a “contribution ratio” of arresting “the right people,” of “dis- and is running versions of it by the cretion.” chief and her colleagues. He recalls telling an officer pa- Pecora told of an incident earli- trolling a park that if he saw kids er this month in which she and one throwing a ball around, he should of her officers tried to track down join the game. “If you worry about the owner of an abandoned, bro- your uniform getting dirty,” the chief ken-down car. Their search led to a said, “I’ll buy you a new uniform.” home in Belmont Heights and a frail, The current formula considers tag elderly woman who answered the football a waste of time. door. Ward is hoping to change the math She said the car belonged to her son, with the help of Sgt. Felicia Pecora, and that he hadn’t been home since who says she has been trying to come the previous night. They asked if she up with a better way to measure pro- had eaten since then, and she said she ductivity for years. was hungry. Pecora heated up some She downplayed the ratio’s influ- rice and beans and bought groceries ence on today’s department, saying to stock the woman’s pantry. By the supervisors take a more nuanced time the sergeant returned, the son view than they did when it was first had arrived. implemented. Nonetheless, she lik- The officers lectured him about ened the ratio to “when Ford put out keeping his mother fed, closed out the the Pinto.” car case and referred the family for el- “It’s a beta version” she said. “Every- derly services. body’s got to start somewhere.” None of it counted toward the pro- In February, the department made ductivity ratio. a significant change to the ratio, giv- ing officers credit for written warn- Times computer-assisted reporting ings instead of just citations. specialist Connie Humburg and staff It shows in the data. Unless some- writer Anthony Cormier contributed thing drastic happens, Tampa is on to this report. Alexandra Zayas can track to have its lowest ticketing year be reached at azayas@tampabay. in at least a decade. com. Pecora’s rough draft of a new series of formulas doesn’t count tickets at all. Among actions counted: traffic stops, street checks, guns seized, sto- len cars recovered, reports written and arrests made from reports. Instead of measuring how long it takes to accomplish these actions, it calculates the percentage of each of those things an officer contributes to a squad. It would still allow supervi- sors to spot those who aren’t pulling their weight, but would reward the investigative types along with the en- forcers.

| 5 | American Stage brings Tony-winner ‘In the Heights’ into the park. In Weekend In the know

FLORIDA’S BEST NEWSPAPER tampabay.com THURSDAY, APRIL ,  | $1 Home 20 YEARS AGO, Feds to look into BUCS DRAFTED A GREAT DUO sales Warren Sapp, No. 99, and Derrick Brooks, No. 55, became the foundation of a Biking While Black | 3 | Tampa Bay Times great defense. We rank the LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS 10 greatest NFL draft classes black bike tickets soar in ever. Sports, 1C

Hillsborough judge Tampa’s mayor and police chiefBiking saBlacky numbers | 3 are troublesome. won’t face charges LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS Pinellas pros- March ecutors close the domestic violence More than 5,500 case against homes, townhomes Judge Eric Myers, who and condos sell in the was accused of hitting his Tampa Bay area. wife. The state attorney cites too many inconsistencies in BY SUSAN TAYLOR MARTIN the case. Local, 1B Times Senior Correspondent Tampa Bay home sales hit a St. Petersburg to torrid pace in March, rocketing clarify parking law in some areas to the highest lev- The ordinance is intended to els in years. be simpler and less vulner- In Hillsborough County, year- able to court challenge. A over-year sales of single family public hearing is scheduled homes, condos and townhomes for May 7. Local, 1B shot up 25 percent. In Pinellas, March was the sec- Davion Only-Going ond busiest month in 10 years, exceeded only by sales during has family forever March 2005, right before the The teen who once stood housing boom hit its peak. up in a church and asked And in the greater Tampa for someone to take him in Bay metro area, which includes is officially adopted by his Pasco and Hernando counties, caseworker. Local, 3B more than 5,500 homes, town- homes and condos traded hands Proof of urban life: in March, the most in any part of downtown grocery Florida except for Miami-Dade. Tampa and other cities “It’s all very strong, I don’t see would love to have an urban any area of weakness,’’ Charles Tampa police Chief Jane Castor defended her department’s operations during a newsOCTAVIO JONES | Times Richardson, regional senior vice core grocery store. And conference Wednesday. She touted the reduction in crime in Tampa but acknowledged the the city of St. Petersburg is Tampa police Chief Jane Castor defended her department’s operations during a news conference Wednesday. She touted president of Coldwell Banker, about to get its second, be the reductionticket disparity in crime in shown Tampa but in theacknowledged Tampa Bay the Times ticket disparity investigation. shown in the Tampa Bay Times investigation. said Wednesday of Tampa Bay’s it a Publix or Whole Foods. housing market. “You don’t see Robert Trigaux, 4B any areas that are stalling. If BY KAMEEL STANLEY AND ALEXANDRA ZAYAS homes are priced well today, they Times Staff Writers “Racial profiling is not just illegal, Rays beat Red Sox are selling.’’ it is unjust and immoral.” Richardson offered a small 7-5 with 2 homers TAMPA he U.S. Department of Justice will review the Tampa Bob Buckhorn, mayor of Tampa caveat: “When you start mea- Nathan Karns and the PoFedslice Department’s to enforcement look of bicycle into laws after a black bike tickets suring year over year, it’s always Rays fell behind in the early Tampa Bay Times investigation found 79 percent of the good to keep in perspective what innings, but scored four in T agency’s bike tickets go to black residents. the previous year was. Last year the sixth to get back into the Mayor Bob Buckhorn said WTampa’sednesday that he andmayor police and police chief we had a pretty slow start so game. Steven Souza Jr. and Chief Jane Castor asked federal officials to we’re measuring against not a Jake Elmore, just called up, Previous review the program because their exper- great quarter last year but con- both homer. Sports, 1C tise can “bringsay clarity tonumbers us and to the com- are troublesome. versely there are a lot of buyers coverage munity and may help evolve our current in the marketplace and it’s been . TODAY’S WEATHER Read the strategies.” a very strong selling period.’’ Times By Kameel“Racial profiling Stanley is not justand illegal, Alexandra it Zayas, Times Staff Writers Between February and March, Scattered showers investi- is unjust and immoral. It is not — and Coldwell Banker saw an almost gative report with has never been — tolerated in the Tampa 50 percent jump in visits to its video andThe maps U.S.Pol iceDepartment Department or any cityof departmentJustice “Racial profiling is not just illegal, website, FloridaMoves.com. Much 8a.m.Noon 4p.m.8p.m. at tbtim.es/ or division,” Buckhorn said in a statement of the increased traffic came from 72° 78° 81° 76° biketicketswill .reviewthat the was Tampahis first public Police comment Depart on the - it is unjust and immoral. It is not — New York, Massachusetts, Penn- 50% chance of rain ment’s enforcementissue. of bicycle laws af- and has never been — tolerated in the sylvania and New Jersey — all More, back page of Sports At a news conference, Castor defended her department’s tac- states that suffered through an tics andter repeatedly a Tampa touted Bay the dropTimes in crime investigation in the city. But Tampa Police DepartmentOCTAVIO or JONES any | city Times unusually long and harsh winter. . tampabay.com she acknowledgedfound 79 thepercent stark disparity of the the Timesagency’s investigation bike Lloyddepartment Brown, a 63-year-old or residentdivision,” of Tampa Buckhorn Heights, said “You have people looking at . See TICKETS, 7A that he has been stopped and searched by officers. Florida that probably would not #cookclub tonight tickets go to black residents. said in a statement that was his first . See HOMES, 7A Join our online cooking commu- Mayor Bob Buckhorn said Wednes- public comment on the issue. nity by making reci- day that he and police Chief Jane Cas- At a news conference, Castor de- BY THE NUMBERS pes each week and sharing results on Instagram. Join tor asked federal officials to review fended her department’s tactics and our Twitter chat at 7 tonight the program because their expertise repeatedly touted the drop in crime 25 percent by following #cookclub. Scott threatens veto over tax cuts Year over year home sales can “bring clarity to us and to the in the city. But she acknowledged the increase in Hillsborough County in March Speakingcommunity to resistant and GOP may senators, help evolve he links our andstark the state disparity budget debate, the withTimes Scott: Whyinvestiga aren’t we- cut- INDEX which is sending the Legisla- ting taxes if we are willing to Homes, Astrology 4F Crosswords 9A, F their currenthealth care strategies.” priorities and his budget. turetion into overtime. found. send taxpayer money to profit- 5,500 townhomes Business 4B Editorials 8A Scott showed senators a list able hospitals? and condos sold in March in Classified F Lottery 2A BY MARY ELLEN KLAS ing to veto their priorities if they of their local hospitals, which “It’s a legitimate question,’’ Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau Comics 3F Puzzles 4F failed to cooperate with his plan are expecting to draw down said Sen. Nancy Detert, R- and Hernando counties TALLAHASSEE — As a con- to lower taxes and spend more state and federal money to off- Naples, one of the senators | 2 | Vol. 131 No. 273 frontation over the state budget money on schools. set care for the working poor Scott called in for a meeting in © Times Publishing Co. escalated, Florida Gov. Rick Scott Scott reminded senators he while, he asserts, they are mak- his Capitol office. “We’re pass- $180,000 on Wednesday privately called wants $673 million in tax cuts ing unreasonable profits. ing out taxpayer money and Median sales price in Pinellas several Republican senators into and attempted to tie that to the The message, according to asking the working poor to pay and Hillsborough counties, up his office individually, threaten- impasse over health care policy several senators who spoke . See VETO, 7A 10.4 percent over March 2014. Obama uses Glades His former self Paul Mason lost 650 pounds five years ago. for climate warning The next step: removal of a heavy reminder. BY SARAH LYALL over his midsection, encircling The problem shouldn’t be partisan, he says. New York Times his thighs, frequently becoming BY JENNY STALETOVICH clearly calculated to make political ORANGE, Mass. — Once infected, and so cumbersome AND PATRICIA MAZZEI Miami Herald points. Voters will elect Obama’s weighing 980 pounds and a con- that it puts him in a wheelchair successor in 18 months, and the tender for the dismaying title of most of the time. “It’s like carry- President Barack Obama on Republican field so far is teem- world’s fattest man, Paul Mason ing around a couple of children,” Wednesday paid his first visit ing with would-be candidates, lost an astonishing 650 pounds Mason said. to the Everglades, delivering an including two from Florida, who after gastric bypass surgery five Mason, who is 54, could not Earth Day speech linking the question whether climate change years ago. But he was left with find a doctor willing to remove threat rising seas pose to the is man-made, despite significant a cruel, perpetual reminder of the extra skin in England, where imperiled River of Grass and scientific scholarship concluding the person he had once been: he lived until recently. But South Florida’s drinking water that it is largely a result of carbon 100 or so pounds of loose skin through a combination of strong to wider climate change risks emissions. that enveloped him like a living will, good fortune, leaps of faith across the nation. The increasing creep of sea Associated Press shroud. and the kindness of many strang- His choice of a venue, Ever- water into the coastal Everglades President Barack Obama walks the Anhinga Trail with rangers It is still everywhere: hanging ers, he is now living here deep in glades National Park, also was . See EVERGLADES, 3A Wednesday at Everglades National Park. from his arms, draping in folds . See WEIGHT, 7A Biking While Black | 3 | Tampa Bay Times LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS

“We agree that these statistics for to believe so. bike citations are troublesome and Castor did not speak to these con- we need to review this and we need to cerns in an op-ed published this decide as a community what we need week. She noted blacks receive 29 to do about this,” Castor said. percent of tickets for all traffic offens- Beginning immediately, Buckhorn es in Tampa, and reiterated her point said, Tampa police will implement a that many who receive bike tickets new tracking system to monitor ev- are involved in criminal activity. She ery traffic stop, ticket and warning is- also gave examples of people on bikes sued, including those for cyclists. committing crimes. All officers, he said, will be remind- “Our tactics are very strategic and ed of the appropriate policies and we’re also very surgical in the way we procedures for issuing citations to go out and enforce crime,” Castor said cyclists. Castor said there are plans Wednesday at her news conference. to set up monthly meetings where the “We don’t throw a net over an area.” public can talk to a department rep- Community leaders said they are resentative and the NAACP about pleased with the decision to have an any issues with police treatment. independent review of the depart- A Times investigation published ment’s practices. over the weekend showed that Tampa “I think that makes sense. It is a police issue more bicycle tickets than problem,” said W. James Favorite, any other agency in Florida, includ- pastor of the Beulah Baptist Institu- ing those in Jacksonville, Miami, St. tional Church. Petersburg and Orlando combined. Favorite said local pastors and com- Eight out of 10 go to blacks, even munity leaders have been talking though blacks make up just 26 per- with law enforcement, schools and cent of the city’s population. Justice Department officials in recent Most of these tickets cluster in the months about issues related to polic- city’s poor, black neighborhoods. ing in the black community, includ- Some residents have received more ing gun violence and police officer than a dozen tickets; some have got- training. ten more than three tickets in one Local pastor and former Tampa day. City Council and Hillsborough Coun- The Times found that, for years, ty Commission chairman Tom Scott Tampa police have used bike stops as said he has been attending similar a proactive policing strategy in high- meetings. crime neighborhoods. The depart- “This here is another issue that we ment has encouraged officers to pull must address to make sure there is over people for infractions like riding justice and equality and to ensure without a light and carrying a rider that there is no profiling,” he said. on the handlebars in hopes of uncov- Since the Times story was pub - ering or preventing greater crimes. lished, Scott said, there has been a lot City Council Chairman Frank Red- of discussion among black residents. dick said the newspaper’s findings When he went for his daily 5:30 a.m. are “embarrassing” and called for an workout at the Central City YMCA, investigation into whether civil rights “the minute I opened the door, there had been violated. was a big discussion.” Legal experts interviewed by the Officials at the American Civil Lib- Times said there was strong evidence erties Union said they are analyzing

| 3 | Biking While Black | 3 | Tampa Bay Times LIVINGSTON AWARD FOR YOUNG JOURNALISTS the ticket data to determine whether to file a lawsuit. Buckhorn said the Justice Depart- ment review will be coordinated by assistant police Chief Eric Ward, a fi- nalist for Castor’s job. She is stepping down as chief May 8. The city will share the report with the public. “There are still people outraged in the black community,” Reddick said. “I think a lot of people, including me, think this could have been handled a lot better. … We’re all about working with police, trying to bridge the gap. When these types of things (happen), it expands that gap instead of making us come closer.” Prior to publication, the Times re- peatedly asked the Tampa Police Department for an interview with Castor. She declined, but issued writ- ten statements. Castor told reporters Wednesday that the department re- quested the Times’ data, but was not allowed to see it. The department has not asked the Times to provide bicycle ticket data, which is generated when officers write citations. The data is main- tained by the court system and is available to the public.

Times staff writer Richard Danielson contributed to this report. Alexandra Zayas can be reached at azayas@ tampabay.com. Kameel Stanley can be reached at kstanley@tampabay. com.

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What was said Mayor Bob Buckhorn’s full statement “All officers will also be reminded of the on Tampa Police Department’s bicycle appropriate policies and procedures for ticket disparity issuing citations to cyclists. “Each day, the Tampa Police “Additionally, Chief Castor and I have Department works to ensure that our asked the Department of Justice families and our children are kept safe office of Community Oriented Policing from gun violence, drug-activity, and Services to review the program at other types of crime that threaten issue, and they have agreed. Their their well-being, as well as holding the expertise and objectivity will bring individuals who commit the crimes clarity to us and to the community and accountable. may help evolve our current strategies. “Equally as important is that we do The review will be coordinated by so in a manner that is reflective of the Assistant Chief of Police Eric Ward. values and mission that we instill in Once complete, we will make the report our officers. Racial profiling is not just and any recommendations public as illegal, it is unjust and immoral. It is well as share it with key stakeholders, not — and has never been — tolerated including the American Civil Liberties in the Tampa Police Department or any Union (ACLU) and National Association city department or division. for the Advancement of Colored People “All of our officers are expected to (NAACP). know the zones they patrol. We train “Chief Jane Castor has led the Tampa them to be deliberate and tactical in Police Department with honor for fighting the types of crime that plague the past five years, seeing it through those areas. In setting our strategy to some of its darkest days while do so, we consider a variety of factors; building new relationships within the however, race is not one of them. community. Working with members “As the dynamic of crime changes, of the community, together, we have we continue to adapt and change our dramatically lowered crime — success ways of policing. Allegations of racial that cities like Jacksonville, Orlando, profiling create an emotionally charged St. Petersburg, and Miami have not discussion within the community, had. In fact, while the East Tampa but so does crime, particularly in the and Sulphur Springs neighborhoods neighborhoods that are most affected generate nearly one quarter of all 911 and for the victims who have suffered it calls for service made throughout the firsthand. city, crime has continued to fall in those neighborhoods over the last 12 years by “Toward that end, we recognize the more than 60%. importance of data and technology in our fight against crime and improving “As we transition to new leadership in our accountability to those we serve. the coming weeks, the Tampa Police Beginning immediately, TPD will Department will continue to forge a implement a new tracking system to path that builds on our success of monitor every traffic stop, ticket, and fighting crime while strengthening the warning issued, including those for bonds with every neighborhood in our cyclists. community.”

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