Matlow, Porter Question TPD’s Cooperation with ICE

During the March 26 city commission meeting, Commissioner Jeremy Matlow and Commissioner Jack Porter questioned the decision by the Tallahassee Police Department to cooperate with the federal government with enforcing immigration laws.

On March 4, TPD signed an agreement which outlined a cooperative relationship and detailed the city’s commitment to helping Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The agreement allows local officers to carry out functions of an immigration officer such as the ability to interrogate any person believed to be an alien and arrest without a warrant any alien entering or attempting to unlawfully enter the United States.

The agreement was executed without consultation with elected officials.

Ahead of the March 26 meeting, media reports indicated that Porter and Matlow peppered the city manager with questions via email related to the issue. City Manager Reese Goad responded to Porter’s concerns about the agreement and indicated that the issue was vetted by TPD Chief Revell before signing the agreement.

The City Commission Meeting

The meeting did not feature a specific agenda item related to the issue; however, several public speakers asked the city to rescind the agreement. Some speakers argued that the city was not obligated by the law to cooperate with the federal government.

After the public speakers, during the commissioner discussion section of the meeting, the issue was first addressed by Commissioner Matlow who was interested in understanding the financial resources dedicated to facilitating the agreement.

Chief Revell said TPD will make one officer available for 40 hours of training related to the agreement and that the costs to the taxpayers are negligible. He said no resources currently in use to protect the citizens of Tallahassee will be reallocated to the tasks associated with the agreement. Revell also explained that he vetted the agreement with TPD’s legal department and with the Florida Police Chiefs Association and concluded it was the prudent thing to do.

Revell noted that TPD will be looking for violent felons and added, “We’re not going out knocking on doors. We’re not randomly going out, checking IDs. We’re not going to do anything different than what we’ve been doing.

Chief Revell reassured Commissioner Matlow that TPD officers are not using racial profiling to enforce the parameters in the agreement.

Commissioner Porter focused on the process on how the city entered into the agreement and if there was legal requirement to sign the agreement.

Chief Revel reiterated that his decision was based on legal consultation related to the state law that was recently passed and the Governor’s executive order related to the issue.

City Attorney Amy Towman told Commissioner Porter that the state is interpreting the law as to require municipalities to enter into the agreements.

Commissioner Porter made a motion to have an informational item come back to the city commission related to the legal issues surrounding the signing of the agreement. The motion failed 3-2, with Porter and Matlow in favor and Dailey, Richardson and Williams-Cox against.