Hillsborough Sheriff Clarifies Bias-Based Policing Policy

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) reaffirmed its commitment to protecting constitutional rights by clearly defining and prohibiting bias-based policing. The agency's policy states that bias-based policing occurs when an officer's personal, societal, or organizational biases influence decisions or actions, and these biases are the sole reason for the action, rather than observed behavior or criminal activity.

The policy explicitly lists protected characteristics including race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, immigration status, disability, housing status, occupation, and language fluency. The HCSO emphasizes treating all individuals with respect and dignity, regardless of these characteristics.

Law enforcement officers must use skills developed through observation, training, and experience to identify suspicious circumstances, unusual occurrences, and violations of law. The agency contacts individuals based on training, experience, and knowledge suggesting a crime may have been committed, is about to be committed, or is in progress. This approach aims to detect and apprehend criminals, maintain street safety, and protect the community.

The policy highlights discriminatory enforcement practices' negative consequences, which can alienate citizens, foster distrust, invite scrutiny, and lead to allegations of rights violations. It stresses affording all citizens equal protection under the law.

The HCSO distinguishes bias-based policing from criminal profiling. Criminal profiling is an accepted investigative tool used to narrow down potential suspects by scrutinizing facts and factors common to specific criminal activities. This process may consider characteristics such as gender, age, race, or ethnicity, but these elements are only part of a larger set of factors used to solve crimes.

Bias-based policing, conversely, is a discriminatory practice. The policy asserts the agency will not accept or tolerate bias-based policing in any form.