LAUDERDALE LAKES, Fla. – Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony declined to speak to Local 10 News about his campaign to retain his position as he took part in a school shooter training event in Lauderdale Lakes Monday.
The training event was the result of the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School — as is Tony himself, who was first appointed by the governor to replace the sheriff he’d suspended, Scott Israel.
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“I’m not answering any campaign questions here today,” Tony said. “It’s about school safety, so stay on course.”
It comes as he faces three challengers in the all-important Democratic Party primary.
Tony has faced scrutiny lately and some consequences for lying on a driver’s license application, for his spending on image-building and for a ballooning budget.
His challengers include Steven Geller, not to be confused with the Broward commissioner of the same name, who’s had a three-decade tenure with the Plantation Police Department and Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
“A lot of the communities are reporting back that they are not happy with the services,” Geller said.
Geller said residents dealing with violent crimes are not getting enough attention.
“For it to get to this point and be reactive and say, ‘OK, I’ll show up, and the gloves are coming off,’ that’s reactive policing and contrary to community policing initiatives,” he said.
Former Broward Sheriff’s Office Col. Al Pollock, another challenger, shared a similar perspective.
“What the sheriff has to do is step in and offer support to these other cities,” Pollock said. “I plan on putting more police back on the streets in uniform patrol cars, because wherever I travel around this county, that’s what people are asking for.”
Rounding out the four Democrats on the alphabetical ballot is David Howard, a retired shift commander for the West Palm Beach Police Department who served a short stint as Pembroke Park’s chief.
The winner will face a November race against a no party affiliation candidate.
Due to Broward being a very Democratic county, the winner of the primary has a good chance of being the next sheriff.