Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony Will Run Next Year To Remain County's Top Cop
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - – Broward's top cop wants to stay that way.
Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony announced Monday that he will be in the running for the sheriff's job during next year's election.
The announcement came less than two weeks after the state's Senate voted to formally remove former Broward Sheriff Scott Israel from office.
Governor Ron DeSantis suspended Israel just days after taking office in January, citing his handling of the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood airport shooting and the Parkland shooting. The Governor's suspension order criticized the active shooter policy that Israel changed giving deputies discretion on whether to engage an active shooter.
All but one Republican Senator agreed with the Governor, faulting Israel for a lack of training for deputies and the inaction of BSO deputies to confront the confessed Parkland killer while shots rang out.
DeSantis then appointed Tony to the job, making him Broward's first African American sheriff.
"The reasons for my predecessor's removal were just the tip of an iceberg, and the long-ignored issues of the past had crippled an agency that has the potential to be a model for the nation," said Tony on Monday.
Israel shot back, "Obviously when you run against a sheriff who's been elected twice, by the numbers we've elected, what's he going to say? He's gotta come up with something to say why vote for him," Israel said.
Tony is a retired Sergeant with Coral Springs police and a Criminal Justice Doctorate degree candidate. He also holds a Master's degree from Nova Southeastern University.
During Monday's news conference, Tony touted his and his department's accomplishments.
"As sheriff, I modified our active shooter policies, increased community policing and training staff, introduced essential equipment, and established partnerships with federal agencies. In less than a year, we unveiled a state-of-the-art Real Time Crime Center, which provides us live monitoring and analysis of what is occurring across Broward County schools and public buildings, and BSO is now constructing a 30-million-dollar Regional Training Center, without costing taxpayers a single new dollar," said Tony.
Tony has the backing of many families of Parkland victims, including Lori Alhadeff, whose daughter Alyssa was murdered at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
A political committee called Broward First began raising money to support Tony's candidacy. Alhadeff has held a fundraiser for the committee.
His most high profile opponent will be Israel, who wants the job back.
"We can't go back to letting politics dictate what is important in keeping our residents safe. We can't allow for discredited politicians to continue to show poor leadership to come back," said Tony. "More of the same is not the answer."
Tony has received support from both Republicans and Democrats. He was a Republican but switched his registration to Democrat.
Five other Democrats have set up campaign committees so far, according to the Sun-Sentinel. Only one, for retired Sheriff's Office Col. Al Pollock, has raised significant money.
