After suspension of its president, union says it has ‘no confidence’ in Broward Sheriff
Two weeks after the sheriff suspended its president, members of the Broward Sheriff’s Office largest police union overwhelmingly passed a vote saying they had “no confidence” in Sheriff Gregory Tony’s leadership of the department, the union announced Monday.
The union’s Treasury Secretary Deputy Frank Voudy III said Monday that of the 786 members who voted, about 88 percent, cast ballots saying they weren’t happy with the sheriff’s leadership. The Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputies Association Local 6020 has 1,400 members. Only 93 voted in Tony’s favor.
The union is one of seven who represent the more than 5,000 employees who make up the Broward Sheriff’s Office, which also includes corrections and fire rescue. BSO has about 2,800 sworn deputies.
“... Current Sheriff Gregory Tony still received fewer votes of confidence than Scott Israel did when 17 people were murdered in Parkland two years ago,” Voudy said in a press release.
Monday’s vote, taken only two weeks after Tony suspended union president Jeff Bell, is mostly ceremonial and has no effect on the elected sheriff’s position. Tony, one of the most powerful elected officials in Broward County, will be challenged for the post by ousted Sheriff Scott Israel in the August Democratic primary.
In a statement after Monday’s vote, Tony said the balloting isn’t changing his goal to keep deputies safe.
“I want to say to the deputies, I hear your concerns,” the sheriff said in an emailed statement. “Following today’s vote, my commitment is unwavering and our mission remains clear. It’s time to unite and work together to continue providing the highest level of professional public safety services to our Broward County community.”
The clash between the Broward Sheriff and the union president goes back to just after Tony was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to replace Israel in January 2019. DeSantis removed Israel after the findings of a committee that examined the Valentine’s Day 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, which claimed 17 lives and left 17 others badly injured.
The committee took issue with some of Israel’s policies and inactions of some of his deputies during the shooting.
In the months that followed, Tony suspended and fired several deputies after cellphone video surfaced of controversial uses of force. Bell took exception, blasting the sheriff for removing the deputies without giving them their due process, he said.
Two weeks ago, after Broward Deputy Shannon Bennett died of complications from the coronavirus, Bell invoked the deputy’s name in a letter he penned blaming Tony for not having enough personal protection equipment for his staff and for not accepting more than 1,000 face masks the union had purchased.
Infuriated, Tony announced he had suspended Bell with pay on April 11, but wouldn’t go into detail, saying the suspension was based on an ongoing internal affairs investigation. He accused Bell of corrupt practices, conduct unbecoming an employee and violations of policy and truthfulness.
Five days later, Bell filed a lawsuit in federal court contending the sheriff was trying to silence him and that his civil rights had been violated.
This story was originally published April 20, 2020 at 6:52 PM.
