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Incumbent Sheriff Gregory Toney has clinched the Democratic nomination in Tuesday’s Broward County sheriff primary with 50 percent of the vote. Toney out-voted his closest rival, Steven “Steve” Geller, who received 33 percent of the vote, followed by Al Pollock at 12 percent and David Howard at 5 percent.
“I am truly honored to have been re-elected as the Democratic nominee,” Tony said in a statement. “For nearly six years, I have worked to transform the Broward County Sheriff’s Office into the best public safety organization in the nation. I am extremely grateful for the people’s continued trust and confidence in my administration. My loyalty to the people of Broward County will always remain unchanged. I will always put public safety above politics.”
Tony will face an independent challenger in the November general election.
As head of the largest sheriff’s office in Florida, Tony is responsible for overseeing 5,800 employees, including more than 2,700 licensed deputies and more than 700 fire and rescue professionals. With an annual budget approaching $1 billion, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office (BSO) provides law enforcement services to 14 towns and unincorporated areas in Broward County, covering more than one-third of the county.
Tony was appointed sheriff by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2019. He replaced his predecessor, Scott Israel, who was removed from office for his alleged mishandling of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. The Florida Senate later upheld the decision.
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Tony’s tenure has not been without controversy. In 2022, a Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) report revealed that Tony had lied on his police application multiple times, failing to disclose that he was involved in a fatal shooting at age 14 that was later ruled self-defense. Although the FDLE concluded that Tony could not be criminally charged due to the statute of limitations, the report highlighted the omission of this critical information.
Further investigation began when it was discovered that Tony had lied on his police and Florida license applications, denying his license had ever been suspended, even though he had been suspended in Pennsylvania in 1996 for an unpaid traffic ticket. The most recent suspension occurred in 2019, when Tony applied for a new license shortly after becoming sheriff.
In April, the FDLE recommended that Tony be suspended from law enforcement for six months for allegedly lying on his driver’s license application. However, an administrative law judge later recommended a lesser punishment: a written reprimand, mandatory ethics training and 18 months of probation.
Despite these controversies, Tony remained focused on the initiatives implemented during his tenure as Sheriff. Under his leadership, the Broward Sheriff’s Office established the first Research, Development and Training Center in its 109-year history. Tony also introduced enhanced training for mass shootings and a countywide racial equity and implicit bias training program, reflecting his commitment to building more just and equal communities.
He also holds employees accountable for misconduct. Over the past year, Tony has worked with other law enforcement agencies to investigate fraudulent behavior by multiple BSO officers. Leading to multiple arrests.
Looking ahead, Gregory Toney plans to continue building community trust, reducing emergency response times and prioritizing training and development within the department.
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