There were two reasons for this, according to Larsen and Deitche.
One was that some future criminals and law enforcement officers â both typically of Italian or Cuban descent â grew up together and their families were friends for generations in a city that still had a small town feel, Larsen said. They then remained friends even when on opposite sides of the law.
âThey protected their own,â Larsen said. âGuys like that didnât go to jail, except maybe overnight.â
More prevalent, Deitche said, was that some law enforcement officers and elected officials were on the mafiaâs payroll.
âPolitical corruption in Tampa went a long way in keeping those guys above the law,â Deitche said.
In 1975, Tampa police officer Richard Cloud was killed Now we know why yahoo.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from yahoo.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.