FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Broward Sheriff’s Office has unveiled its brand new training facility, but a shortfall in the construction budget tripped an audit.
What investigators found has some deputies concerned.
BSO cut the ribbon while the county’s audit of its costs are still underway, with an interim report concluding, “… that project funding is not adequate to meet anticipated project costs.”
That conclusion led some insiders to question what things inside the new facility cost.
There is a full wall mural of Sheriff Gregory Tony that is part of the new gun range, and his name is on shower curtains, a soak tub, on flooring and signing throughout the building.
Tony’s name and likeness were added to the official Broward Sheriff’s Office branding despite the position being elected and temporary.
That, and the facility being over budget.
The audit outlines just over $64 million -- county dollars -- dedicated to build and outfit the hi-tech training facility.
Most of the funds, $55.5 million, came from Broward County government.
BSO’s portion was $8.6 million, and that, the audit says, was allocated for personnel. In some cases, “BSO had to defer filling vacant positions in order to reallocate funding as necessary to complete this project.”
The audit also showed how costs mounted, most of it for county mandated changes to drainage, but included is more than half a million dollars in branding -- branding for BSO and branding the sheriff himself.