ATLANTA (May 12, 2022) | — In response to Liberty County Sheriff deputies unjustifiably stopping and searching a bus filled with female college students from Delaware State University, a Historically Black institution, Georgia Legislative Black Caucus Chairwoman Senator Tonya Anderson issues the following statement:
“We, along with America, are appalled by the actions of Liberty County sheriffs who stopped a bus filled with female college athletes from an HBCU (Historically Black College & University) and proceeded to search the vehicle for narcotics.
The demeanor of the sheriffs is not the issue. Because they politely assumed the bus was transporting drugs in Georgia; because they used “please” and “thank you” as they proceeded to traumatize these ladies; because they assumed guilt in the nicest way possible does not absolve them from again confirming race does matter in Georgia.
How do we improve police/community relations when the former continues to abuse its power by acting on unproven biases about Black people? This incident calls for an immediate investigation by an outside party to assess the actions of this department. We need to know if similar stops have occurred where Black drivers have been unjustifiably stopped and searched under the presumption of transporting narcotics.
If it is deemed appropriate for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to investigate claims of voter fraud, then we believe the investigation of racial profiling and abuse of power by law enforcement warrants equal treatment.
To the Delaware State University Women’s Lacrosse Team and your college community, we are saddened about your experience in our state and will work to address this matter appropriately and swiftly.”
Established in 1975, the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus is a 501(c)3 non-profit, nonpartisan organization comprising of 68 Georgia House and Senate members. For more information about the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, please visit www.gablackcaucus.org or write to media@gablackcaucus.org.
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For Immediate Release:
May 12, 2022
Sophie Stepakoff, Communications Associate
sophie.stepakoff@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028