By Howard Cohen
Miami Herald
POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — A Pompano Beach elected official has garnered unwanted attention after she had a bit of an outburst following a routine traffic stop in April.
In video obtained by Cop Watch and posted to YouTube and then reported by WPLG-Local 10, Pompano Beach Vice Mayor Barbara Perkins is seen inside her white SUV after a Fort Lauderdale police officer pulled her over.
What she said
In the body cam footage you can hear the office initially ask her, “What’s going on?” to which Perkins replies, seeming nonchalantly, “Nothing.”
After the officer runs her driver’s license, Perkins, vice mayor for Pompano Beach’s fourth district, seated inside her Audi, identifies herself by name and title. She’s handed back her license and told she was being given a warning, rather than a ticket.
“Miss Perkins, you need to slow down. OK?” the officer says as he hands back her ID. As he walks away she asks for his name.
She then is heard telling the officer that he needed to “find something better to [expletive] do.” Then she drives off.
It’s that f-bomb that has some angry with Perkins.
The Miami Herald reached out to the vice mayor by email and phone, but her voicemail was full and not accepting messages. She has not yet responded to the email.
What police are saying
On Friday, the National Fraternal Order of Police posted a response to Perkins on its Facebook page:
“Vice Mayor Perkins, we hope you were just having a bad day when you told this Ft. Lauderdale officer to “find something better to F*****g do.” Maybe apologize to the officer who was just doing his job? I’m sure this officer would be glad to have you do a few ride alongs with him or other officers to understand what they face every day,” the post read.
The Fort Lauderale FOP Lodge 31 posted on Facebook: “Madam Vice Mayor Beverly Perkins, instead of attacking the hard-working Fort Lauderdale Police Department Officers and resorting to using profanity, we suggest you apologize and then sign up for some ride alongs to see what they do every day to protect the citizens of our great city. ... Furthermore, we would like to commend the #FLPD Officer for his professionalism and dedication to duty in keeping our community safe.”
That post also spawned comments for Perkins to resign.
Scott Moseley, the president of Fort Lauderdale Fraternal Order of Police, released a statement to WPLG on Friday with a similar public message to Perkins that she ought to apologize and sign up for ride alongs.
“As an elected official, you too are held to a higher standard and should know better ... we suggest you obey the speed limit and seek anger management,” Moseley said in his statement.
Reaction on social media
“I’m glad this was obtained. So many in public office think the rules don’t apply. Drunk sheriffs, judges, politicians. Someone needs to let them know they are human, and not as special as they were told on Election Day,” read a comment on Cop Watch’s YouTube post.
“So much respect for what this cop did. She’s a citizen like everyone else, laws apply to everyone, even cops get pulled over... I just hope she doesn’t have enough power to get this cop in trouble in any way,” read another.
“The second a politician tries to use their position in a situation like this they should be removed,” read yet another comment on the YouTube post.
“Hopefully FORMER vice mayor after this goes viral. So uncalled for, he was nothing but professional. RESIGN,” read a comment on a National Fraternal Order of Police’s Facebook posting of the video.
“He should have wrote a ticket. Attitude adjustment,” read another.
Another comment suggested a better reaction. “I got pulled over for speeding in eastern Ohio for coasting down a large hill. Totally my fault, but I still thanked the trooper for the job he does.”
What happens next?
Pompano Beach has a commission meeting Tuesday. No word yet on whether Perkins plans to address the video or take any actions at the meeting.
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