Police Union Billboards Slam Tallahassee’s Crime, Murder Rates

Tallahassee’s police union has purchased billboard space highlighting the city’s crime and murder rates while warning families not to send their children to college in the city.

Police union billboards blast city of Tallahassee on crime, murder rate https://t.co/i8VXMrPKJd

— Tallahassee Democrat (@TDOnline) March 24, 2021

“Thinking of sending your child to college in Tallahassee? Think again,” the billboards read. “Tallahassee is the 5th most dangerous city in Florida. Murders are the highest they’ve been in years.”

The billboard purchases, which went up at prominent intersections Wednesday, come as the Big Bend Police Benevolent Association is in a bitter contract dispute with Tallahassee city officials, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.

The digital billboards warn people about the crime rate and encourage them to call the city manager to push for a fair contract.

Tallahassee and Leon County had a record number of 28 murders last year, according to the Tallahassee Police Department and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office.

Tallahassee is also home to three colleges: Florida State University, Florida A&M University, and Tallahassee Community College. These three schools combined enroll thousands of students.

“We’re trying to educate the whole community why we should get a fair and competitive contract that can help with recruitment and retention,” Big Bend Police Benevolent Association President Richard Murphy said. “Have we been frustrated in this process by the city? Yes. But we’ve got to get serious about addressing our crime problem.”

The move did not go over well with some who thought the PBA’s strategy backfired.

“I’m very disappointed to say the least because that is an indictment on our community, not just the city of Tallahassee government, but our community generally,” City Commissioner Curtis Richardson said, saying that he and his colleagues would have voted to ratify the PBA contract but did not like their tactics.

“Extremely poor timing. We’ll continue the negotiating process,” he added. “I wish they had taken that into consideration before they decided to do that billboard.”