A Vision for Success and Transformation in Broward County – Parkland Talk

A message from Sheriff Gregory Tony:

I always kept a vision board listing my goals. Even as a boy living in a small rowhouse in the projects of Philadelphia, I was preparing to achieve my dreams. I knew I didn't need to do everything; I just had to do the following.

Through extensive planning and preparation, I became the first in my family to graduate from high school and then college. I quickly joined law enforcement and, through better planning, rose through the ranks to become the first black sergeant in the Coral Springs Police Department.

During my time with the department, I held various positions and received more than a dozen awards and letters of commendation.

Recognizing the needs of society, I briefly stepped away from policing. I founded a company that trained the private and public sectors on prevention strategies and responses to mass shootings and mass casualty incidents. When the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) needed someone to address the gaps following the tragic events at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, I accepted the opportunity to lead the BSO, leveraging my expertise in active shooter training and preparedness. In doing so, I also became the first Black sheriff in the organization’s 109-year history—a privilege I do not take lightly.

Every accomplishment, every step forward, has been fueled by my commitment to excellence. Today, my vision board is filled with initiatives to improve every aspect of BSO, from training and accountability to community relations and technology. Every member of our organization strengthens these initiatives, which foster unity, encourage progression and support our core mission of protecting Broward County.

One of our most effective initiatives is leveraging technology to proactively combat crime. The Threat Management Unit (TMU) and Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) detect and prevent potential threats from harming our community. Since its inception, the TMU has investigated over 4,230 potentially violent incidents, resulting in over 300 arrests. In addition, the RTCC has provided live monitoring during over 5,600 investigations. As the RTCC continues to expand, this reinforces our commitment to providing service excellence.

Transparency and accountability are essential to building trust with the people we serve. I reorganized the Professional Standards Committee to include diverse voices and established the Use of Force Review Council to ensure fair assessment and compliance with BSO policies. In addition, our annual report demonstrates our commitment to transparency, showing how taxpayer dollars are allocated to public safety.

Our efforts to improve relationships and build trust in our communities are proving successful. Programs like our Neighborhood Support Team (NST) and Park, Walk, and Talk (PWT) facilitate personal interactions beyond routine service calls to improve understanding and meet community needs. Since PWT’s inception in 2019, we have had more than 130,000 interactions with Broward County residents.

Encouraging diversity has been a primary goal of my administration. We sought to strengthen our agency by providing recruitment and promotion opportunities to the most qualified individuals. The result was an organization that better reflects the diverse communities we serve. As Sheriff, I had the honor of promoting more than 1,300 employees and we filled nearly 2,100 positions across the organization. This commitment has been a critical factor in our operational success, as valuable institutional knowledge has been applied to the development of various programs and initiatives.

Every step we take, no matter how big, leaves a significant and lasting imprint on this community. I am proud of our progress in strengthening public safety, but I am aware of the work that remains to be done. Just as my vision board is constantly evolving, so is BSO's.

Sheriff Gregory Tony

Service equals reward

Some Broward cities like Coconut Creek, Hallandale Beach, Pembroke Pines, Sunrise, Plantation, Davie, Margate, Miramar, Lauderhill, Lighthouse Point and Coral Springs retain their police departments; however, BSO provides communications and dispatch services to the following cities: Central Broward, Cooper City, Dania Beach, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Lauderdale Lakes, North Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Parkland, West Park, Pompano Beach, Port Everglades, Tamarac, Weston and unincorporated West Broward.

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