Florida Cops Accused of Harassing Black Voters

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (APBnews.com) -- As the world awaits a recount in Florida to learn the outcome of the presidential election, some black voters here are charging that they were deliberately harassed by state troopers who set up a roadblock near a polling station.

At the urging of several black motorists, the State Attorney General's Office today is looking into whether the Florida Highway Patrol deliberately set up a checkpoint just one mile from Woodville First Baptist Church. The church is the polling place for a precinct where more than one-third of the voters are black, said Assistant State Attorney General Paul Hancock.

"This was not done in accordance with normal [highway patrol] procedure," Hancock said. "We certainly see the sensitivity of the black community in this situation. That's why we jumped right on it."

Of the 13 drivers cited at the checkpoint for equipment violations, eight were black and five were white. The roadblock was set up between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, police said.

Feds want full inquiry

Hancock said that the U.S. Department of Justice has called for a full inquiry into the allegations.

Victor Curry, president of the Miami chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said that while the public may find it hard to believe black voters were targeted, to the black community, the incident is not all that surprising.

"The only thing that surprises me about the incident is all the attention it's getting," Curry said. "Sounds like something out of the '60s, but all it takes is a few racists who happen to be police officers."

Unauthorized checkpoint

Highway patrol officials admitted that the checkpoint on Tuesday was not conducted according to protocol, but said they were "disappointed the black community perceived it as an attempt to disrupt the political process."

"This was a checkpoint that had not been approved by the district commander," said highway patrol spokesman Maj. Ken Howes. "The location had not been approved and no notice had gone out to the news media, both of which are requirements."

Howes said that since early October, the highway patrol has conducted 31 checkpoints, in which motorists are stopped and checked for licenses, insurance and equipment safety, as part of an effort to conserve gas.

In late September, the highway patrol reached a $1 million deficit in its gasoline budget and asked troopers to cut gasoline consumption by 20 percent. Instead of patrolling, officers set up checkpoints to check for traffic violations.

Internal investigation

Howes said the sergeant who set up the checkpoint only chose the location because it had not been used in the past. Police did not release the name of the sergeant and three troopers who operated the roadblock.

Howes said the incident is being investigated internally. He said he did not expect the sergeant and troopers to be reprimanded.

"They're just out there doing their job," Howes said. "Yes, departmental policy was violated, but the violations were really only administrative oversights."

"These driver license and faulty equipment checkpoints have always been a normal part of our overall enforcement strategies," he said. "The sergeant and the troopers were oblivious to any connection between the election and the checkpoint."

By Rick Sarlat, an APBnews.com correspondent in Florida.