Broward prosecutor fired, two deputies placed on leave after social media posts
A South Florida prosecutor was fired and two Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies were placed on leave for comments they recently made on social media.
Amy Bloom, who has served eight years in the Broward State Attorney’s office, equated protesters to “animals at the zoo” and regarded their acts as “shameful” in a Sunday Facebook post that has since been deleted, but not before being copied and shared.
“When will people learn that their criminal acts and obnoxious protesting actually gets you nowhere. Act civilized and maybe things will change,” read her post in part. “I’ve never seen such animals except at the zoo.”
The comments came after days of unrest across the country including South Florida in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. Floyd was unarmed when he was taken into custody May 25. He died after an officer held him down with his knee for nearly nine minutes.
The State Attorney’s office issued a statement Monday afternoon about Bloom’s post.
“Following our review of the Facebook posting by Ms. Amy Bloom, we have made the decision to terminate her effective immediately,” the statement read. “The views expressed in that posting are entirely inconsistent with the ideals and principles of the Broward State Attorney’s Office and the duties and responsibilities of an assistant state attorney.”
Bloom, according to the Sun Sentinel, later posted an apology on social media.
“I made a post and realized that it could be misinterpreted, so I deleted it within seconds,” she wrote. “I believe in justice for all and that ALL lives matter. I don’t look at anybody by their color shape or size ... My post specifically referenced the people who took advantage of the opportunity to protest. I respect the people who have a mission and wanted to accomplish it. It is hard to respect those who are taking it away with violence and destruction.”
On the same day, the BSO confirmed that two deputies, Michael Ruback and Ronald Thurston, had received letters informing them that they had been placed on a “restricted administrative assignment,” pending an internal affairs investigation. The letters say they both are being investigated for possibly violating policies on use of social media and conduct unbecoming an employee.
“The Broward Sheriff’s Office has been made aware of social network posts made by two active employees,” the department said in a statement provided to the Miami Herald. “BSO in no way condones opinions or statements that discredit an individual or reflect poorly on our agency. As a public service agency, we must always hold ourselves to the highest standard of professionalism and accountability.”
While the department did not say what the posts were about, WSVN7 reported that Thurston, a 21-year veteran with the agency, shared his concerns over BSO’s lack of diversity in the department by using specific examples of how many black deputies are in leadership roles and in specific departments.
The station said Ruback, a veteran of nearly 28 years, posted about Floyd and said he died because of drugs, not because someone killed him.
It was not clear Monday who was representing the deputies. A call to the Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputies Association was not immediately returned.
This story was originally published June 1, 2020 at 8:20 PM.
