Broward can cut ties with BSO for airport police, report says. But will it?

Thanks to a new report, Broward County commissioners confirmed they can cut ties with the Broward Sheriff’s Office for airport security. Whether they should or will do it remains to be seen.

The county commission showed serious interest in exploring an end to its agreement with BSO to handle security at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and having the Broward County Aviation Department establish its own police force. Commissioners discussed the county-sanctioned report conducted by consulting firm Jensen Hughes at a meeting Tuesday afternoon.

Broward Mayor Mark Bogen said he wanted more information on what the risks, costs and next steps will be for the county to start its own airport police force. The budget for BSO “keeps going up and up,” he said.

“I believe that we can give the public a safe airport and save money and have control,” Bogen said.

Last month, the commission also approved an additional feasibility study on the potential benefits of removing Fire Rescue from BSO’s control. The consultant was also asked to review BSO’s control of the Port Everglades seaport, but the report made available to commissioners on Friday only focused on the airport.

When it comes to the airport, seaport and the fire department, commissioners say they want more control over how taxpayer money is spent. Legally, BSO does not need to disclose how it allocates the money it receives from the county.

Commissioners at the meeting stressed that their interest in potentially splitting from BSO is not because BSO has done a bad job in protecting the airport or handling the fire department.

“The big issue is having control of our dollars. We don’t have control,” said Commissioner Nan Rich. “We give some money, and then it’s gone. That’s it. They can move it around. They can do what they want with it.”

The conversation at the Broward County Commission comes after Deerfield Beach commissioners voted to end the city’s 35-year relationship with BSO and start its own police and fire departments in January. Pompano Beach may do the same, the Sun Sentinel reported.

In a video posted on Instagram on Monday night, Sheriff Gregory Tony said he was reviewing the report and thanked county commissioners for “doing things the right way” by conducting a feasibility study to make an informed decision. “I wish our partners at Deerfield Beach would follow the same type of processes,” he said in the video.

Tony posted another video Tuesday evening reacting to the county commission’s discussion. He said if the county wants more autonomy, it would be easier to renegotiate its contract with BSO.

Last fall, Tony appealed to the state to force Broward to provide more funding after the county commission approved a 3% budget increase. The sheriff requested a 9% increase. According to the feasibility study, Tony said, it would cost about $232 million to fund the process to “phase out” the 125 BSO officers from the airport if a new police department took over. The sheriff took issue with that.

“The number was $70 million to increase [BSO employees’] salaries, and it was dismissed. The county said they didn’t have any money ... yet we’re having a conversation about spending $232 million for 125 police officers and starting a whole police department,” Tony said. “It just seems the rationale behind that discussion doesn’t make any mathematical sense. If you’re concerned about spending money, you don’t spend more money.”

Jensen Hughes project manager Ed Denmark, who presented the report at the meeting, said airports that are similar to FLL and have their own police forces reported an overall positive experience. Benefits to creating a new police department include consistent budget forecasting, financial transparency and the ability to “make quick decisions without having to deal with multiple chains of command,” Denmark said. More research and analysis will have to be done to determine costs, the number of officers needed and how the police department would be structured, he said.

“By creating your own independent police department, you ensure that there’s a shared mission, goals and strategy between public safety and the business side of running an operation as an airport,” Denmark said.

Risks include recruiting enough officers to staff the police department and airlines’ reactions to the change, said Michael Ruiz, the assistant county administrator.

Mark Gale, the county aviation director, told the commission that there’s high turnover in the BSO captain position at the airport. He has worked with six captains in 10 years, typically because they receive promotions or retire.

Gale added that he cannot directly command BSO deputies to do certain tasks or patrol certain areas. Commissioner Beam Furr asked Gale how easy it is for him to request the BSO commanding officer for more officers to direct traffic, for example.

“We do get the response, commissioner,” Gale said. “Sometimes, the call has to be made. Should the call have to be made is part of the question.”

Commissioner Michael Udine said he’s concerned by the “lack of seamlessness” between BSO and the Broward County Aviation Department outlined in the report.

“Everyone wants the same thing. We want the safest possible airport to begin with,” Udine said. “I’m not even concerned if it’s the least expensive. I want the safest for the traveling public.”

Udine said he would like to see the sheriff withdraw his appeal in Tallahassee before the county moves forward in either direction. Tony said no.

“I’m not going to remove or recant or retract an appeal that is focused on taking care of the good men and women of this agency who take care of the good men and women of this community,” Tony said in the video. “So we’ll have another follow-up meeting. Stay tuned. We’ll see how that goes.”