TAMPA, Fla. — The Hillsborough County NAACP President said a shakeup at the Hillsborough County State Attorney's Office is leading to mixed emotions.
"Fear. Where do we go from here? This has set us back," said Yvette Lewis.
And they add that a recent memo from the acting State Attorney isn't helping.
In it, Suzy Lopez promised to undo policies from her predecessor, Andrew Warren. She released the following statement explaining the memo:
“Rescinding my predecessor’s policies where he unilaterally determined, without reviewing even a single fact in a case, that he would not prosecute was an important step to getting this agency back to basics. We will evaluate every case law enforcement sends us and make a decision about whether to prosecute. Some cases will go forward. Some will not. This agency is no longer in the business of substituting it’s judgment for that of the legislature or law enforcement officers.”
The memo went on to cite Warren's stance on the controversial Tampa Police Department policy nicknamed "Biking while Black" as an example.
This TPD policy claimed to cut down on crime and increase bike safety by stopping cyclists who were riding bikes without proper safety gear or with someone on the handlebars.
However, after complaints from the community, a 2016 Department of Justice analysis found that the policy disproportionately impacted black bikers and even led to citations, charges, and arrests in some cases.
TPD DOJ Biking While Black Report by ABC Action News on Scribd
In a statement, Warren disputed Lopez's claims:
“We created this policy following multiple meetings and conversations with Tampa Police. This was another small step in our entire community’s effort to move away from the illegal and controversial tactics of ‘Biking while Black’ while ensuring people who were committing actual crimes were arrested and prosecuted.
The policy very specifically instructs attorneys to evaluate the facts of every case. It addresses only cases where the initial stop is based on a bike or pedestrian ‘civil traffic infraction’—such as jaywalking or not having a bike light—and applies to around 40 out of the 50,000–60,000 cases we handle each year, or less than one-tenth of one percent.”
Warren also provided ABC Action News with a copy of the policy.
Warren Biking Policy by ABC Action News on Scribd
It's a lengthy back and forth that Lewis says has left the community in limbo.
"Riding a bicycle is a form of transportation for a lot of people in our community," she said.
To help ease tensions, Lewis tells us acting State Attorney Lopez met with her earlier this week to talk about the biking policy among other things.
"She was very open, and she didn't make any promises, but she did want to have a working relationship with the NAACP," said Lewis.
But to create trust and calm fears, Lewis said the State Attorney's Office still has work left to do.
"They have to come with an open mind. They have to be ready to have an open and candid conversation. They have to understand and realize that scales of justice are really not balanced," she said.
