• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Subscribe to the Magazine
American Police Beat

American Police Beat Magazine

Law Enforcement Publication

  • Home
  • Editor’s Picks
    • The power of teamwork
      Stay awake and alert on the job
      The worst rank in law enforcement
      Firearms maintenance
      Why fries need salt
  • Topics
    • On the Job
      • “Above and beyond the call of duty”: Florida police officer...
        Georgia police arrest thieves for stealing thousands of dollars in...
        Boone County Sheriff’s Office solves cold case from nearly 50 years...
        Time to address the status of women in policing today
        Police K-9 comforts Michigan State University students returning to...
    • Labor
      • LAPD union proposes police stop responding to non-emergency calls
        Florida’s recruitment program lures Chicago police officers to the...
        Staffing shortages plague Cleveland police as record number leave the...
        New Orleans interim police chief aims to hire civilians in time for...
        “Anyone can get this job”: Memphis police lowered hiring...
    • Tech
      • New Jersey turns to license plate reader technology to address rise...
        One of country’s oldest cold cases solved with DNA from untested...
        Crypto crime investigations
        Austin Police Department launches non-emergency artificial...
        iPhone crash detection feature helps deputies rescue driver from canal
    • Training
      • Working effectively in low light
        Realism and stress inoculation in training
        Avoiding conflict and escalation
        U.S. trails in police training
        Denver police recruit has leg amputated after training drill
    • Policy
      • Oregon law enforcement and retailers seek to combat organized...
        Utah bill aims to regulate how law enforcement uses genetic genealogy...
        Opposing POVs on permit-less carry
        Ohio bill would lower minimum age to become a police officer to 18 to...
        Utah bill would allow people with “invisible conditions” to alert...
    • Health/Wellness
      • Thinking of pulling the pin on retirement?
        Expanding your identity
        Nonprofit offers telehealth therapy to upstate New York first...
        A California police department’s new wellness unit aims to improve...
        Massachusetts police department prioritizes officers’ mental health...
    • Community
      • First responders share love of reading with children for Read Across...
        Colorado Springs police kick off annual soccer ball giveaway to bond...
        “These are beautiful animals”: Community members gift horses to...
        Central Texas nonprofit to open law enforcement museum in honor of...
        “It was an honor to serve with her”: Kansas first responders...
    • Offbeat
      • Ohio police rescue man from brutal zebra attack
        Motorist stranded in Oregon wilderness without cell phone reception...
        Cincinnati police work with animal rescuers to capture exotic cat...
        Not UFOs: Police departments across the country receive 9-1-1 calls...
        Texas deputy detains runaway tortoise after “slowest foot...
    • We Remember
      • Law enforcement from across the country join seventh annual Fallen...
        Boone County holds fifth annual Jacob Pickett Remembrance Day to...
        Farewell to a “living legend”: Oldest law enforcement officer in...
        “Officer Becerra will never be forgotten”: Colorado police...
        “I had a calling”: Colorado cadet inspired by fallen hero Eric...
  • On the Job
    • “Above and beyond the call of duty”: Florida police officer...
      Georgia police arrest thieves for stealing thousands of dollars in...
      Boone County Sheriff’s Office solves cold case from nearly 50 years...
      Time to address the status of women in policing today
      Police K-9 comforts Michigan State University students returning to...
  • Labor
    • LAPD union proposes police stop responding to non-emergency calls
      Florida’s recruitment program lures Chicago police officers to the...
      Staffing shortages plague Cleveland police as record number leave the...
      New Orleans interim police chief aims to hire civilians in time for...
      “Anyone can get this job”: Memphis police lowered hiring...
  • Tech
    • New Jersey turns to license plate reader technology to address rise...
      One of country’s oldest cold cases solved with DNA from untested...
      Crypto crime investigations
      Austin Police Department launches non-emergency artificial...
      iPhone crash detection feature helps deputies rescue driver from canal
  • Training
    • Working effectively in low light
      Realism and stress inoculation in training
      Avoiding conflict and escalation
      U.S. trails in police training
      Denver police recruit has leg amputated after training drill
  • Policy
    • Oregon law enforcement and retailers seek to combat organized...
      Utah bill aims to regulate how law enforcement uses genetic genealogy...
      Opposing POVs on permit-less carry
      Ohio bill would lower minimum age to become a police officer to 18 to...
      Utah bill would allow people with “invisible conditions” to alert...
  • Health/Wellness
    • Thinking of pulling the pin on retirement?
      Expanding your identity
      Nonprofit offers telehealth therapy to upstate New York first...
      A California police department’s new wellness unit aims to improve...
      Massachusetts police department prioritizes officers’ mental health...
  • Community
    • First responders share love of reading with children for Read Across...
      Colorado Springs police kick off annual soccer ball giveaway to bond...
      “These are beautiful animals”: Community members gift horses to...
      Central Texas nonprofit to open law enforcement museum in honor of...
      “It was an honor to serve with her”: Kansas first responders...
  • Offbeat
    • Ohio police rescue man from brutal zebra attack
      Motorist stranded in Oregon wilderness without cell phone reception...
      Cincinnati police work with animal rescuers to capture exotic cat...
      Not UFOs: Police departments across the country receive 9-1-1 calls...
      Texas deputy detains runaway tortoise after “slowest foot...
  • We Remember
    • Law enforcement from across the country join seventh annual Fallen...
      Boone County holds fifth annual Jacob Pickett Remembrance Day to...
      Farewell to a “living legend”: Oldest law enforcement officer in...
      “Officer Becerra will never be forgotten”: Colorado police...
      “I had a calling”: Colorado cadet inspired by fallen hero Eric...
  • Between the Lines
    • The imprisonment of law enforcement technology
      Persecution of the LEO is classic schadenfreude
      The rule of law is worthless without order
      School policing: a paradox of the defund movement
      Defending the honor of the LE profession – finally!
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Search

On the Job

Tampa Police Department honors “Fearless Four” who stood up to discrimination

APB Team Published April 1, 2021 @ 11:00 am PDT

Clarence Nathan (Credit Tampa Police Department)
Frank Gray (Credit Tampa Police Department)

The Tampa Police Department (TPD) is honoring the “Fearless Four” and their story with a mural inside TPD’s headquarters that is to be unveiled on April 3. Their story is remarkable for standing up to racism and braving discrimination to change the racial attitudes of law enforcement across the country.

WFLA News recounted the events and the significant trial initiated by the “Fearless Four” that shed a light on Black officers’ struggle against racism in law enforcement.

The four former officers, Frank Joe, Lewis Rufus, James Dukes and Clarence Nathan sat together over coffee to reflect on how when they joined the police department back in the late ’60s and ’70s in a primarily White department, they would encounter the word “Negro” every day from colleagues and superiors.

“That racial slur, they would go over the radio with that all the time,” Nathan said. “They’d say ‘I’m chasing a N**** male, but when you confront them they say Negro.”

Even after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Black police officers had to deal with racism every day. According to the four, they were “hated” by their White colleagues.

Nearly 50 years ago, Black officers were only assigned to specific areas of the city, and were not as well-trained as White officers. Instead, they would go on patrol without any formal training.

Eventually, the four got tired of putting up with the racism and inequality, and they decided to draft a discrimination complaint that eventually got picked up by the Atlanta DOJ.

Rufus Lewis (Credit Tampa Police Department)
James Dukes (Credit Tampa Police Department)

“To hear your supervisor and others in that room using the ‘N-word,’ we got tired of it, when I say we, the four of us,” Duke said.

The DOJ took two years to conduct their investigation, all the while the men were dealing with rising levels of hatred in their department, but it was worth it.

Two years after the federal lawsuit was filed, the DOJ concluded that TPD and the city of Tampa were guilty of violating anti-racism and discrimination laws. In 1976, the four men heard the good news about the case.

After the victory, the city and the police department changed significantly. The word “Negro” could no longer be used, and Blacks could get the same training and opportunities as Whites in law enforcement.

It meant a lot to the brave four men who put their career on the line for change.

“We knew we would benefit if we won, but to change the entire structure of the Hillsborough county government, the city of Tampa, the nation, had no idea,” Duke said.

“When I joined the police department, I said I would do something that would help not just me, the entire world and other young Black police officers. I also wanted to do something to make my Great Grandparents, Grandparents and parents proud.”

Now, the doors of the law enforcement profession are opened wide for minorities, but the “Fearless Four” still think there can be improvements in 2021.

“The Capitol on the 6th of January,” Nathan said. “There’s no way they would let Black people do that and live. There’s a double standard when it comes to law enforcement and that has to change.”

Categories: On the Job

Primary Sidebar

Recent Articles

  • New Jersey turns to license plate reader technology to address rise in auto thefts
  • “Above and beyond the call of duty”: Florida police officer praised for rescuing kitten trapped in car’s wheel well
  • First responders share love of reading with children for Read Across America Day
  • Ohio police rescue man from brutal zebra attack
  • Georgia police arrest thieves for stealing thousands of dollars in powdered baby formula
  • Thinking of pulling the pin on retirement?
  • Motorist stranded in Oregon wilderness without cell phone reception finds ingenious way to call for help by using a drone
  • Law enforcement from across the country join seventh annual Fallen Heroes Honor Run to pay tribute to officers killed in the line of duty
  • Working effectively in low light
  • Colorado Springs police kick off annual soccer ball giveaway to bond with kids

Footer

Our Mission
To serve as a trusted voice of the nation’s law enforcement community, providing informative, entertaining and inspiring content on interesting and engaging topics affecting peace officers today.

Contact us: info@apbweb.com | (800) 234-0056.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Categories

  • Editor’s Picks
  • On the Job
  • Labor
  • Tech
  • Training
  • Policy
  • Health/Wellness
  • Community
  • Offbeat
  • We Remember
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Events

Editor’s Picks

The power of teamwork

The power of teamwork

July 23, 2021

Stay awake and alert on the job

Stay awake and alert on the job

July 20, 2021

The worst rank in law enforcement

The worst rank in law enforcement

July 19, 2021

Firearms maintenance

Firearms maintenance

July 04, 2021

Privacy Policy | Your Privacy Options | Notice at Collection | Copyright © 2023 APB Media, LLC | Website design, development and maintenance by 911MEDIA

Open

Subscribe

Close

Receive the latest news and updates from American Police Beat directly to your inbox!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.