TAMPA, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis' newly appointed State Attorney in Hillsborough County Susan Lopez met with the area’s NAACP chapter Tuesday.
Lopez had no comment as she entered the meeting which came after leaders in the Black community expressed concern over a memo sent by Lopez to her staff.
The letter said, in part, that her office would again begin prosecuting cases against African Americans under a highly criticized Tampa police policy dubbed "Biking while Black."
A Department of Justice investigation found fault with the policing program nearly six years ago – saying it disproportionately targeted African Americans with no demonstrative impact on crime.
“Why would you go back to such a policy that continues to institutionalize and continues to perpetuate systemic racism?” NAACP Hillsborough Chapter President Yvette Lewis asked. “It takes us way back. Erases all of the conversations that we had.”
Lopez's office told us they would get back to us with a comment regarding the change in policy and the meeting with Lewis.
The NAACP says Lopez assured them that arrests would be handled on a case-by-case basis.
The NAACP and Lopez plan to meet again in six weeks to discuss any issues or concerns that might arise.
“It’s important for us to have these open and candid conversations,” Lewis said. “And there will be some uncomfortable conversations as well.”