![\"NDA\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/andersontonysept2019.png\")
Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony replacing her colonel\u2019s insignia with the undersheriff\u2019s three stars following Nichole Anderson\u2019s promotion on Sept. 10, 2019 Photo: 7News Miami<\/p>\nBroward Sheriff Gregory Tony replacing her colonel\u2019s insignia with the undersheriff\u2019s three stars following Nichole Anderson\u2019s promotion on Sept. 10, 2019 Photo: 7News Miami<\/p>\n
By Dan Christensen, FloridaBulldog.org<\/a><\/p>\n In what appears to be an unlawful effort to protect himself, Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony has had his top brass sign employment agreements with a non-disparagement clause that threatens to yank their lucrative post-employment benefits if they publicly criticize him.<\/p>\n Florida Bulldog obtained a copy of the nine-page agreement<\/a> signed by Tony and his former second in command, Nichole Anderson, on March 30, 2021. Tony\u2019s general counsel Terrence Lynch signed a week later.<\/p>\n \u201cTo the fullest extent permitted by law, upon separation, EMPLOYEE agrees not to make or endorse any disparaging or negative remarks or statements (whether oral, written, or otherwise) concerning the Sheriff, BSO, or any of its past and present officers, directors, agents and\/or employees,\u201d the agreement says. \u201cIn the event of a breach of this section, EMPLOYEE agrees to pay BSO attorneys\u2019 fees and costs incurred in any action brought to enforce the terms or establish breach of this Paragraph.\u201d<\/p>\n But there\u2019s a problem. It protects Sheriff Tony\u2019s reputation, yet it does so by effectively using public funds to buy ex-Undersheriff Anderson\u2019s public silence regarding her unique knowledge of Tony\u2019s decision making, behind-the-scenes conduct and potential wrongdoing.<\/p>\n While Florida Bulldog has not seen any employment agreements signed by BSO\u2019s new undersheriff, Steve Robson, or current or former colonels, majors or fire rescue chiefs, they likely contain similar non-disclosure language.<\/p>\n Anderson, as are all BSO employees, are what\u2019s known as \u201cat will\u201d employees. The sheriff can fire any of them at any time for any reason, or for no reason at all, and he\u2019s done that frequently during a purge of his command staff that began with Anderson\u2019s termination on Feb. 25. That\u2019s likely why anyone presented with a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) by the sheriff likely signed it and kept quiet.<\/p>\n Anderson was hired in 1996 as a road patrol deputy. Tony named her undersheriff in September 2019, eight months after Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed him sheriff.<\/p>\n The agreement spells out BSO\u2019s golden parachute of benefits that Anderson, 55, would forfeit if she opens her mouth:<\/p>\n Fully paid medical insurance, including dental and vision care, until she becomes eligible for Medicare.<\/p>\n The right to a 50 percent credit toward the cost of a Group Health Plan after she becomes eligible for Medicare, or that amount in cash.<\/p>\n \u00a0Free term life insurance.<\/p>\n A tidy lump sum payment upon separation for all accumulated annual leave, holiday leave, sick leave, sick leave bonus days, personal days and comp time. Under the agreement, BSO can claw back that lump sum payment after it is made.<\/p>\n In broadly worded legalese, the agreement adds that \u201cin exchange for the above consideration from BSO, to which EMPLOYEE would not otherwise be entitled and except as otherwise stated in this Agreement, upon separation,\u201d she \u201cforever\u201d discharges BSO and Tony personally from any \u201cclaims\u201d or \u201ccharges.\u201d<\/p>\n SHERIFF TONY\u2019S NDA AND THE LAW<\/p>\n While NDAs can lawfully be imposed on government employees to protect sensitive matters like some law enforcement records, internal communications, trade secrets and medical records, BSO\u2019s NDA appears to violate Florida\u2019s public policy and transparency laws as established in Florida\u2019s Government-in-the-Sunshine Law.<\/p>\n Florida\u2019s Constitution<\/a>, in Article VII Section 10, prohibits spending public funds for private purposes. \u201cNeither the state nor any county, school district, municipality, special district, or agency of any of them, shall\u2026give, lend or use its taxing power or credit to aid any corporation, association, partnership or person,\u201d the article says.<\/p>\n The constitution\u2019s Sunshine Amendment, Article II Section 8, enacted in 1976, also prohibits public officers like Sheriff Tony from breaching the public trust for private gain.<\/p>\n The sheriff\u2019s use of public resources to insulate himself from possible future criticism by a high-level member of his command staff with personal knowledge of his actions, appears to violate Florida\u2019s Code of Ethics for Public Officers.<\/a><\/p>\n The code, under the subheading \u201cMisuse of Public Position,\u201d says no \u201cpublic officer\u201d may \u201ccorruptly use or attempt to use his or her official position or any property or resource which may be within his or her trust, or perform his or her official duties, to secure a special privilege, benefit, or exemption for himself, herself, or others.\u201d<\/p>\n Still, some questions remain.<\/p>\n Why would Sheriff Tony feel the need to include such gag language to protect himself from his command staff? Florida Bulldog sent him an email on Saturday, but he hasn\u2019t spoken to us directly in years.<\/p>\n And why did Tony have Anderson sign the NDA in March 2021? Was there some event that triggered it? Was that when NDA\u2019s were first given to BSO command staff for their signatures? Or have they been around longer?<\/p>\n
![\"Print](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/printfriendly-button.png\")