Tampa police made DUI arrests below the legal alcohol limit, officer alleges arrest quotas

The Tampa Police Department recently admitted that its DUI squad has made several arrests when drivers blew beneath the legal alcohol limit, and one officer accused his supervisor of imposing DUI arrest quotas.

At Tampa's Citizens Review Board (CRB) meeting on June 28, a TPD DUI squad officer accused his supervisor Sergeant Anthony Portman of "destroying morale" by imposing quotas on the squad, along with other questionable behavior.

Corporal Katie Thanasas told the CRB that a subordinate police officer on the squad spoke up against Portman last year.

"On February 9 2021, Master Patrol Officer [Michael] Lyon authored an email to his lieutenant expressing concern that his supervisor Sergeant Anthony Portman was destroying morale on the DUI squad and undermining former Chief Dugan's authority," Thanasas told the CRB. "Specifically officer Lyon alleged Sergeant Portman imposed quotas on members of the DUI squad."