TAMPA, Fla -- The City of Tampa will be at the center of another election in March.

To learn more about candidates, several organizations sent out surveys to interview those running in the 2023 City of Tampa Municipal Election including the Hillsborough County Urban League. 

The interim President Stanley Gray says their questions focused on issues like housing, education, diversity and inclusion. 

Candidates who want endorsements from the Tampa Police Benevolent Association were also sent surveys that some community members say that survey is lacking. 

"It would be hard for me to argue what their questions are, but from a broad based look it seems like they left a lot of things out of it," said Stanley Gray. "like why wouldn't you want to know about the other fringe groups. Why wouldn't you want to know about to give an example we have a lot of antisimetic actions going on that is no joke that is a percentage that is increasing." 

The newly appointed President of the Tampa Police Benevolent Association says that every day his officers work to fight violence, racism, and injustice. He says the survey is meant to help them identify candidates that will support that mission.

"In a couple days it will be 13 years with the Tampa Police Department," said Brandon Barclay. 

For the next three years Barclay will serve as the leader of the Tampa Police Benevolent Association. 

The TPBA advocates for more than 1,000 officers when it comes to their salaries and contract negotiations. 

"Our job is to make sure that the officer bill of rights is followed and everyone is afforded the same opportunity for discipline cases," added Barclay. 

The union also provides a political voice before local governing bodies. 

Barclay says there has been no time like the present that law enforcement needs the most support. 

"People get into this career because they want to help people," Barclay added. 

To earn the union's support candidates for the 2023 City of Tampa Municipal election were asked to fill out a questionnaire.

"What we're looking for is that you are going to be the same person sitting at the table or talking on the phone to me as you go to the highest or wherever you're political aspirations are." 

From gun ownership to police morale, the survey covers a wide range of topics including participation in Black Lives Matter protests. 

"When that question was divided up," he added "There's a difference between Black Lives Matter, the organization and the movement of black lives matter. There's no (TPD) officer that doesn't believe that Black lives matter."

Questions about BLM which were added at the height of George Floyd protests in 2020. 

Barclay says the union doesn't believe all of BLM is anti-police, but he says leaders of the organization have not denounced hate speech against police.

"When you have people saying, 'What do we want to see, Dead cops we want them now!', then the only thing that you can be lead to believe is that they do believe that," said Barclay.

Members of the Hillsborough County Urban League say there are other examples of uprisings that have been omitted from the survey including the January 6 insurrection. 

A committee just wrapped up its 18 month investigation on the attack that claimed the lives of five police officers. 

The TPBA questionnaire was issued a month ago and Barclay explained why such questions were excluded. 

"It really had nothing to do with politicians, so it wasn't something that crossed our minds. Plus it was still an ongoing investigation, so until recently nobody knew what really happened right, so they just released 700 pages." 

Ultimately, Barclay says the Police union works for the benefit of its officers and local communities to ensure everyone is on the same page.

"Where there's injustice we're all for," he added. "that's the reason we are in this profession, but you can't fight more injustice with more racism and anti-police actions."