BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is seeking to suspend Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony’s law enforcement certification, saying he broke the public’s trust.
The issue stems from a complaint filed last summer by FDLE investigators against Tony.
The complaint claims Tony made false statements on multiple occasions when applying for a driver’s license.
The alleged falsehood reportedly was failing to disclose his license had been suspended in Pennsylvania back in 1993 and 1998.
Tony has denied the allegations in the past, saying any falsehoods weren’t intentional.
The recommendation from FDLE says, in part:
“The offense of falsifying information on a driver(’s) license application is an act involving moral turpitude. Most importantly, the Respondent, the Sheriff of Broward County, is inherently held to a higher standard due to his position being one of great power within the community. The position of an officer is one of great public trust and the Respondent’s calculated actions have broken that trust.
“In this case, the appropriate penalty is a six-month prospective suspension of certification followed by one year of probation with the requirement the Respondent complete Commission-approved ethics training.”
If that happens, Tony would lose his ability to make arrests or otherwise act as a police officer in Florida, but he would be allowed to remain in office.
Sheriff is an elected position and he is slated to run for reelection in November.
A judge has now been tasked with making the final decision.
Tony’s attorney asked the judge to dismiss the complaint, based on a lack of convincing evidence.
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