Florida law enforcement officials were praised Tuesday for implementing programs that offer civil citations instead of arrests for minor and non-violent offenses. Florida’s Direct Action & Research Training Center, or DART, is trying to push for local change where Tallahassee won’t act. LISTEN: More than 300 people attended the virtual summit with one goal: “Here… Read more »
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Hillsborough State Attorney won’t file charges against activist who jumped on hood of car that drove through June protest
The Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office said it will not file charges against an activist who jumped on the hood of a car as it drove through a June protest in Tampa. His attorney said he shouldn’t have been arrested in the first place. Listen: Jason Stuart Flores might not be facing prison time any… Read more »
New Port Richey officer who gave intel to armed counter-protester is out of a job and activists want department investigated
A New Port Richey police officer who provided department information about Black Lives Matter protests to a “Back the Blue” activist is no longer employed by the city’s police department. Listen: According to the New Port Richey Police Department, Corey Oliver is a former officer with the department. City Manager Debbie Manns told WMNF his… Read more »
St. Pete protesters supporting Breonna Taylor face threats from police supporters and more vehicles after viral video
Before they marched, they prayed. Protesters marched with renewed vigor this week after a grand jury in Kentucky chose to not bring charges against officers who killed Breonna Taylor. Listen: After four straight months of near-daily, peaceful marches, tensions were among the highest they’d been Thursday night. Wednesday, a Tampa Bay Times reporter tweeted a… Read more »
Activists call for $13 million Tampa police increase to instead be put into social programs
Tampa and Hillsborough County are both set to adopt new budgets this week. Both are also set to increase law enforcement spending as activists in the area call for some of that money to be diverted to social programs. Listen: City and county governments are preparing to finalize their first budgets since widespread calls have… Read more »
Hillsborough Sheriff announces expansion of Juvenile Arrest Avoidance Program
Leaders in Hillsborough County say that a program to keep kids out of jail and give them citations instead is working. So they’re making changes to expand and improve the Juvenile Arrest Avoidance Program. Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister announced the changes Thursday morning. “With the exception of five offenses, which I will expand on in… Read more »
A Pizza Hut driver was filmed driving through Black Lives Matter protesters in St. Pete and the company is keeping quiet
Last Thursday, Black Lives Matter activists with the St. Pete Peace Protest captured video as a Pizza Hut delivery driver drove through demonstrators standing in a crosswalk. Activists are calling for the driver and a local manager to be fired, but the company isn’t saying much. Listen: As they’ve done almost every night for nearly… Read more »
Radioactivity Tuesday: Investigative report links futuristic policing to citizen harassment in Pasco County
September 8, 2020 Good morning, welcome to Radioactivity. I’m Rob Lorei. The Tampa Bay Times recently published an investigative report on a new, high-tech form of policing—one which tries to stop crime before it happens. The system uses futuristic, cutting edge technology to identify people who are about to commit crimes in Pasco County. What… Read more »
Black Lives Matter protests: Hillsborough State Attorney drops some charges, pursues others
The Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office released information Friday afternoon about charges related to Black Lives Matter protests that it is either pursuing or dropping. For example, Andrew Warren’s office said it will not pursue criminal charges against protester Jae Passmore. Police charged her with battery saying she hit a counter-protester in the head. But the… Read more »
Putting more police in Florida schools is hurting students, study finds
A new study from the University of Florida and the ALCU claims that increased policing in schools has not made schools any safer and might be doing more bad than good. The mass shooting and killing of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018 sparked new debate about the safety of Florida’s… Read more »
