Patrons of Florida beach claim police bias

BY admin

July 26 2003 12:00 AM ET

South Florida men are considering a legal challenge to state officials who they say are selectively ticketing them on beaches, The Miami Herald reports. Most recently, Tracy Faulkner was charged with two counts of indecent exposure, as state officers felt his swimsuit was not sufficiently "opaque." The charges were dismissed in court. Faulkner is one of several men, some of them gay, who say officers at a secluded beach ticketed them simply for enjoying a park maintained with their tax dollars. They have consulted with a lawyer, Russell Cormican, about a possible legal challenge. State officials overseeing park security say they are enforcing laws aimed at preserving a clean, family-type atmosphere at the park. They deny targeting gays, saying their officers have no way of knowing who is gay or who is straight.

Tags: World