Florida City to Create Own Police Force After Cutting Ties With Sheriff's Office
What to Know
- Deerfield Beach voted 4-1 to establish its own police and fire departments, ending a 35-year partnership with the Broward Sheriff’s Office.
- The city rejected a two-year contract extension offered by the sheriff, opting instead for local control and long-term cost savings estimated between $250 million and $900 million over 20 years.
- The decision was influenced by political disagreements and a desire to prioritize public safety based on verifiable data and operational needs.
DEERFIELD BEACH, Florida -- Deerfield Beach is cutting ties with the Broward Sheriff’s Office after a 35-year relationship that deteriorated over the last 12 months with each side accusing the other of disrespecting leadership and putting politics and personalities ahead of policing needs.
The city commission decided Tuesday night in a 4-1 vote to create its own police and fire service for the first time since 1990.
Before that vote, Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony had offered the city a two-year contract extension that would maintain the status quo while a consultant, paid for by the sheriff, conducted a comprehensive study of what it would cost the city to go it alone. The commission refused that offer.
Mayor Todd Drosky said the vote gives the city “control of its own destiny” in the best interest of the city’s 87,000 residents.
The city’s contract with the Sheriff’s Office expired in September, which gave officials a two-year window to either extend the contract or create its own departments. Within three months, the city hired a consultant who studied costs and projected a savings over 20 years of $500 million, though the consultant conceded that was an estimate and the actual figure could be anywhere between $250 million and $900 million.
In an op-ed published on the eve of the commission’s vote, Tony warned against making a hasty decision based on what he called “unsupported assumptions” and “incomplete or inaccurate information.”
“The commission acknowledged that public safety cannot be governed by theoretical savings or untested models and that any proposed changes must be rooted in verifiable data, operational reality and a clear demonstration that it will enhance, not jeopardize, public safety,” he wrote.
In trusting the independent Center for Public Safety, Drosky said city officials fulfilled their obligation to reach a decision after considering the relevant face.
“It’s not just that we trust our consultant,” the mayor said. “I have confidence in our city manager and staff going forward. I know this is in the best interest of Deerfield Beach long-term.”
The wide range of possible savings can be expected in a 20-year projection, Drosky said. “Even on the low end, a savings of $250 million is nothing to sneeze at.”
Residents of the city who spoke to the commission before the vote were split, with many painting law enforcement as a city issue that wasn’t broken and didn’t need fixing.
The sheriff has not issued a public statement on the matter since the vote.
The expired contract commits the Sheriff’s Office to providing police and fire services to the city until September 2027.
Rafael Olmeda can be reached at [email protected] or 954-356-4457.
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