FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A former Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy, fired in 2022 for excessive force, was arrested by his ex-employer Thursday on two child abuse charges.
Ronald Thurston, with his hands shackled, appeared in Broward County court on Friday. The details of the crime were not immediately available.
The 48-year-old now works as a security guard for Broward County Public Schools, a district spokesperson confirmed; he “has been reassigned pending the outcome of the investigation/case.”
Thurston has been in the news before. Despite rallies in support, he was placed on administrative leave in 2020 for social media posts about BSO’s lack of diversity.
Then, in 2022, he was fired following a tough takedown where he was seen slamming a handcuffed suspect into a patrol car.
Thurston, also charged with misdemeanor battery, was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim and stay away from Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach.
Thurston’s attorney told Local 10 News that he believes his client should and will be exonerated.