Data shows LPD could be biased against Black and Hispanic drivers

Black and Hispanic drivers are more likely to be pulled over for a traffic stop in Lakeland than white drivers, despite being in the minority. When pulled over, there’s a significantly higher chance the officer will take protective action — or could use force — with Black males, according to data from the Lakeland Police Department.

In 2021, more than 55% of all drivers pulled over by a Lakeland police officer identified as Black, Hispanic, or another racial minority, according to an annual report from LPD’s Office of Professional Standards.

People of color make up less than 28% of Lakeland’s population according to 2020 U.S. Census data.

Chief Taylor, said he doesn’t feel a “simple comparison” of the city’s population to traffic-stop demographics is fair.

“We don’t know how many people come into the city every day,” Taylor said. “About 100,000 people come into the city Monday to Friday during business hours. We don’t know the demographics coming into the city.”

Taylor said that in his 35 years serving Lakeland Police Department, he has never heard an officer say they took specific action because of an individual’s race. The chief admitted the decision-making process is often not spoken about.

“I’m not naive. We hire from the human race. Everyone comes in with some bias. It’s human nature,” he said.

Taylor said the department receives a low number of citizen complaints regarding officers’ behavior given its approximately 240-member force. It reported 15 complaints per year in 2020 and 2021, with slightly more than 22 complaints in 2019.

Lakeland police receive comprehensive training on bias-based policing in the state’s police academy, a roughly six-month-long program new officers must attend and pass.

The department follows this up with annual bias-based police training for each officer based on the department’s own policies, Taylor said.