TAMPA, Fla. — The City of Tampa Municipal Election is just months away, but a survey sent to candidates by the local police union is garnering criticism.
“My response to the survey that I saw, it’s emotional, and it elicits questions for me,” said Stanley Gray, Interim President & CEO of Urban League of Hillsborough County.
Candidates who want endorsements from the Tampa Police Benevolent Association (PBA) are being asked to fill out a questionnaire that some community members find offensive.
The 28-question survey covers topics like police morale and the Second Amendment but also asks whether a candidate ever spoke up against police brutality or participated in Black Lives Matter protests.
The Urban League of Hillsborough County, a non-partisan organization, said the questionnaire is not balanced.
“Why didn’t you talk about Antifa? Why didn’t you talk about the Proud Boys, or even why didn’t you talk about the people that were part of the insurrection of January 6,” Gray said. “Why didn’t you ask that? Because those are law and order questions.”
Some Tampa City Council candidates have received the survey from the Tampa Police Benevolent Association.
“As a Black man, I was kind of offended with some of the questions,” said Orlando Gudes, Tampa City Council Member for District 5.
During a City Council meeting Thursday, Gudes said he has filled out and returned the survey to the PBA.
“I’m hopeful that the PBA will evaluate the survey and come out and maybe apologize to the community, to the candidates who are running for office because some of the candidates were leery to fill it out. They were afraid they may not get an endorsement.,” said Gudes.
The Tampa Police Benevolent Association declined an interview. In a statement, the Tampa PBA president Brandon Barclay said:
"Like other groups, The Tampa Police Benevolent Association uses its questionnaire to help determine the depths and extent of a political candidate's experiences and positions as they relate to police and our membership without regard to party, race, orientation or gender. We value candor and honesty in the process and we have even endorsed individuals who differ and disagree with us on issues because they were the right person for the job. To describe our intentions in any other light is not only dishonest, but shameful and indicative of the discourse many politicians in our area want to continue in order to distract from their own personal and professional shortcomings."
One Tampa resident at the City Council meeting said PBA’s survey shows a lack of support for the Black community. “I would guess that if you participated in the Black Lives or think that Black lives have meaning in this city, then you wouldn’t be worthy of their support. It is racists.”
Some council members want to know the intent behind PBA’s questions. They told ABC Action News other surveys focus more on city-wide issues.
“None of the questionnaires I have received have had questions that have been very specific in nature towards one type of group or another. They just want to know what I want to do about affordable housing, what I want to do about the issues of making sure we have adequate jobs,” said Lynn Hurtak, Tampa City Council Member for District 3.
The Association of Black of Law Enforcement, Inc. (ABLE) released this statement on Jan. 12:
The Association of Black of Law Enforcement, Inc. has engaged in discussions with the leadership of the Police Benevolent Association regarding its recently distributed Political Candidate Questionnaire. As the collective bargaining agent for all of the men and women of the Tampa Police Department, the Police Benevolent Association must reflect the diversity of its members. ABLE is committed to working with the PBA leadership to find ways to increase participation and diversity in its decision making process.
We asked Tampa Police Department’s Interim Chief Lee Bercaw about Tampa Police Benevolent Association political candidate questionnaire.
“The PBA is a private, separate entity from the Tampa Police Department, and its questionnaire or the sentiments of its leaders does not represent the Department as a whole,” said Bercaw. “We have a diverse workforce that protects and serves all people, regardless of one’s personal or political beliefs.”
Official City of Tampa 2023 PBA Candidate Questionairre by ABC Action News on Scribd
