Broward County sheriff: Trump’s deployment of federal agents is wrong
As a constitutional officer of Broward County, I’m responsible for safeguarding the liberties and constitutional rights of our residents.
Recently, federal agents were deployed onto the streets of Portland, Oregon at the direction of President Trump. Americans are now fearful as they watch federal law enforcement firing non-lethal weapons at protesters, deploying pepper spray, striking individuals with batons without provocation and egregiously seizing Americans’ freedom without legal justification.
This is what happens when politicians misuse law enforcement. It’s wrong, and it further creates distrust between citizens and law enforcement. As Broward’s Sheriff, I firmly reject the notion of federal officers being unleashed into our community.
I will not allow presidential ambitions, or anyone’s politics, to come into Broward County and violate Americans’ rights. On May 25, the soul of our nation was fractured by the senseless and tragic killing of George Floyd. His life was brutally and mercilessly squeezed out of him for almost nine minutes.
A law enforcement officer deliberately ignored several cries for help, compassion, humanity and mercy. Of all the ways the accused law enforcement officer failed, what alarms me most is that he ignored mercy. Demonstrating compassionate treatment to those in distress fundamentally is the greatest quality any law enforcement officer — and any leader — can exhibit to the public they serve.
In America, every law enforcement officer is entrusted with a social contract, an oath with the people we pledge to protect. The contract is in the words and spirit of the Declaration of Independence — life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness — and the U.S. Constitution.
No American forfeits rights to law enforcement officers without a substantial justification of cause, and not without due process. Over the years, we’ve all seen dozens of reports of unnecessary murders of Black men killed by law enforcement officers; this particular case has hit home differently, and caused us all to question our individual moral compass. All of us, no matter our race or ethnicity, are asking ourselves important questions.
What kind of conduct are we willing to accept by law enforcement? How can we fix a broken system that allows for such brutality? Where do we start, and is there an end?
Law enforcement administrators across the country, including myself, are actively examining new ways to re-allocate funding towards programs and policing models that help reduce conflict, expand deescalation techniques, eradicate prejudice and racism, incorporate organizational diversity and develop genuine bonds of community trust.
As law enforcement professionals and community stakeholders take on these challenges together, some leaders are seeking to divide our communities and utilize this moment of challenge and change to create chaos, destruction, and fear, for their own political gain. A new gamesmanship is being used as a political tool across the country.
Nowhere is this gamesmanship clearer than in the president’s unprecedented and unconstitutional deployment of federal agents into Portland.
This is a time for the display of mercy. For a compassionate treatment to those in distress. The American people deserve that compassion from our highest elected official — not conflict, not division, and most certainly not the injection of politics into law enforcement. There is never a suitable time to play politics with public safety.
Gregory Tony was appointed Broward County sheriff in January 2019. He currently is running for the office in the Aug. 18 primary.
CORRECTION
Our July 19 recommendation for the School Board’s District 7 seat misidentified the high school that incumbent Lubby Navarro said she helped boost from failing school to a B.
That school is Miami Southwest Senior High, not Miami Southridge Senior High.