Broward County incumbent Sheriff Gregory Tony claimed victory over his predecessor Scott Israel, who presided over the Sheriff’s Office during the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida.
Tony, who was appointed to the position in 2019, received a slim, two-point lead over Israel, according to reports late Tuesday night. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis fired Israel after he “egregiously failed in his duties” while managing the department during the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting that left 17 dead.
“The Democratic voters of Broward County have spoken and I am deeply honored that they have chosen me to lead the Broward Sheriff’s Office into a brighter, safer future! I promise BSO will become the national model for how a public safety agency can be run,” Tony said in a statement after the election.
Israel accepted defeat in a statement after the results were in.
“I want the people to know I poured my heart and soul into being sheriff,” he said. “My main focus was keeping kids out of jail. I may not be the sheriff, but I have the best family in the world and I look forward to spending time with them.”
Tony, the county’s first black sheriff, is poised to be the favorite in the general election against Republican H. Wayne Clark.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office faced severe criticism under Israel’s direction for its actions during the 2018 shooting. Sgt. Brian Miller, one of four sheriff’s deputies fired for “neglect of duty,” was the first to respond as shots were being fired but hid behind his police cruiser and failed to radio in for 10 minutes. Capt. Jan Jordan, who was supposed to take command of the scene, arrived seven minutes after the shooting began and did not immediately direct deputies to go into the school.
Other deputies were fired from their positions for their reactions to the incident, including driving away from the gunfire to put on bulletproof vests and hiding behind vehicles.
Since then, the Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputies Association said Miller would return to his former position with seniority and back pay.
