The Broward County Commission will take Sheriff Gregory Tony to court if he continues to block county officials from touring the gym at the sheriff’s Research, Development and Training Center.
The building, which sits behind the Public Safety Building near Fort Lauderdale, has become an emblem of the ongoing feud between the Sheriff’s Office and the county government that funds it to the tune of $875 million in fiscal year 2027, which started Oct. 1.
On Monday, Broward Mayor Mark Bogen and two commissioners attempted to gain access to the building, only to be turned away at the front door by the sheriff, who later told reporters he would not be pressured into granting access to commissioners while they remain under a “massive criminal investigation.”
Tony based that accusation on the serving of subpoenas on all nine commissioners and top county officials last month. The Office of Statewide Prosecution ordered the officials to retain and produce documents relating to a study on whether Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades could be effectively served by an independent, county-run police force instead of the Sheriff’s Office.
A copy of the subpoena, reviewed by the South Florida Sun Sentinel, didn’t indicate anyone who received it was the focus of a criminal investigation, and prosecutors haven’t yet specified the focus of their inquiry. Still, prosecutors’ efforts prompted Tony on Monday to repeatedly portray the officials as being under investigation, using that to justify turning them away from the sheriff’s property. “Do you think this is about a civil proceeding? This is not civil,” he said.
The state attorney general’s office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have declined to disclose any information about the subpoenas or any underlying investigation.
The County Commission voted Tuesday to authorize the County Attorney’s Office to “take any … legal action necessary against BSO to enforce the County’s rights.”
A courtroom showdown would only extend a feud that has already included a vote to remove Broward County Fire Rescue from Sheriff’s Office oversight and ongoing efforts to strip the Sheriff’s Office from its responsibilities over the 911 regional emergency response system and law enforcement at the ports.
Tony has countered with a series of videos touting his popularity among Broward residents and his employees. Last week, he released a letter of confidence signed by 25 high-ranking members of Broward County Fire Rescue applauding his leadership.
Walter Dix, regional vice president of the union that represents Broward’s firefighters, accused Tony last week of forcing those chiefs to sign under threat of being fired if they didn’t.
At his news conference Monday, Tony denied the accusation. “Any one of them that wishes to pull their name off that letter will remain employed here,” Tony vowed.
Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457.