A new poll sends a clear message: Broward County residents feel safe from crime.
Ninety-three percent of those surveyed said so. Those numbers matter because they reflect something more than public opinion. They reflect confidence in the men and women of the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) who put on their uniform every day. That confidence is backed by results.
Over the past seven years, serious crime in areas patrolled by BSO has declined significantly. A combination of training, targeted operations and progressive initiatives have resulted in a 23% overall decrease in crimes like homicide, robbery, burglary, aggravated assault and auto theft.
Gregory Tony is sheriff of Broward County. (courtesy, Broward Sheriff’s Office, photography by Cliff Frommer)
Despite the confidence and staggering results, there is a disconnect that should concern every Broward County resident: We are asking the people responsible for delivering these results to accept less than a competitive wage for doing one of the most dangerous, demanding jobs in our community. To further the point, BSO deputies are the lowest paid among all law enforcement agencies in Broward County.
This is not sustainable.
Three years ago, BSO commissioned a comprehensive, independent salary study that identified significant compensation gaps between BSO employees and comparable public safety agencies. The study also found that BSO salaries lagged behind those of Broward County employees. Those disparities have contributed to challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified public safety professionals.
Last year, BSO requested that the Broward County Commission support a 9% budget increase of $73 million to address the pay gap. The Commission rejected it. BSO subsequently appealed that decision to the Florida Administration Commission, where the matter remains pending.
Aside from a measurable decrease in crime statistics, BSO polling conducted earlier this month found that 73% of those polled support giving BSO its full $73 million budget increase for fiscal year 2025-26. That will bring salaries into a competitive range with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Respondents told pollsters they felt that way because:
Broward County commissioners could fund BSO’s full $73 million budget increase without raising taxes.
Palm Beach County commissioners provided a $116 million (11%) increase to PBSO, and Miami-Dade County commissioners provided a $93 million (13%) increase to MDSO.
Broward County taxpayers lose out on money spent to train first responders when they leave for a higher paying job in a neighboring county.
Let’s be clear about what this money represents.
It is not simply a bigger number on a budget spreadsheet. It represents a deputy responding to a violent call at 2 a.m. A canine handler finding a missing child. A communications operator answering an emergency 911 call of someone in crisis. A firefighter running into a structure fire, or a paramedic rendering lifesaving assistance when someone’s ordinary day becomes an emergency.
These are people — not line items.
BSO and taxpayers have already invested in recruiting, hiring and training these employees. So when a neighboring agency can offer a trained public safety professional substantially more money, why wouldn’t they take it to support themselves and their families? And when experienced personnel leave, that investment leaves with them, and the cycle begins again.
This is not about asking taxpayers to choose between public safety and responsible government. It is about recognizing that public safety is delivered by people, and those people deserve to be compensated competitively if we expect to keep them.
The public has spoken. The overwhelming majority of those surveyed feel safe. A strong majority support competitive pay for the men and women of BSO providing that safety.
Broward County has every reason to be proud of its public safety professionals.
Now, we need to make sure those professionals have every reason to stay.
Gregory Tony is sheriff of Broward County.
Editor’s Note: The poll conducted by Frederick Polls in September included 611 Broward voters who answered a series of questions critical of the County Commission’s decision not to fund the sheriff’s office at the $73 million increase Sheriff Tony requested for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.