Broward sheriff's training center faces budget shortfall

A clearer picture is emerging of how costs have continued to rise for the Broward Sheriff's Office's new training center: The county projects the facility will now cost $73.6 million — but it is still facing a budget deficit of nearly $10 million, a recently released audit reveals.

The new training center – officially known as the Research, Development and Training Center – is located behind the Broward Sheriff's Office headquarters at 2601 W. Broward Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale, but has yet to open its doors. It became bigger than initially expected.

County Auditor Bob Melton wrote in his interim report dated Wednesday that “funding for the project is not sufficient to cover the anticipated costs of the project.”

He notes that the project will cost $73.6 million, but only $64.1 million has been allocated. Of that amount, $55.5 million came from Broward County and $8.6 million was reallocated by the Sheriff's Office, “resulting in a $9.5 million funding gap as of June 10, 2024,” he wrote. The sheriff's office left some vacant positions unfilled to help pay the skyrocketing bill, the audit found.

The sheriff's office has not yet commented on the auditor's report.

Cope with expenses

Among the auditor's findings for the new center were a $500,000 increase in elevator reconfiguration costs, a $6.1 million change request to install underground tanks and related mechanisms to meet the requirements of rainwater drainage and $500,000 for “additional branding” throughout the building, including lighted signs.

Increased costs also include:

— The original agreement called for a “shell,” or empty space, for the fourth floor. A change order added a full $7.5 million buildout of the fourth floor to accommodate a fitness center, locker rooms, as well as floor reinforcement to accommodate exercise machines and weights.

— $2.2 million for the firing range to increase the ceiling elevation to allow entry of vehicles needed for training exercises and an increase in costs due to the change in subcontractor selected for the design and installation of shooting ranges.

— $1 million to transform a “Flex Room” into an auditorium.

The auditor began researching the project after the county administrator sent an email to county commissioners in December stating that “we are not yet certain of the total cost of the project” and “without a full accounting of BSO expenses for the project, it is difficult to pinpoint a single cause for the cost overrun.

The newly released audit comes as Sheriff Gregory Tony is asking commissioners for a significant budget increase for the next fiscal year, topping $1 billion.

A planned center

The center was originally expected to cost $34 million, and the county set aside $33.2 million. The original plan called for a seven-story building, including five stories for parking and two stories for a training center including parking with a total area of ​​88,000 square feet.

But then the costs increased as the situation grew.

The sheriff's plan now is for the training center to occupy 104,000 square feet of space alone, along with a separate 245,000 square foot garage.

The training center will include two 50-meter tactical rifle ranges, a 25-meter rifle range, a shooting range, multiple classrooms, training laboratories, an auditorium and a fitness center. The main entrance will feature a two-story memorial lobby that honors the 17 victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas School shooting.

In a November email, Tony expected the center to begin being used in early January, telling staff from colonels to captains that that would be when they would begin practicing there at least three days per week. No new opening date has yet been announced.