Broward County commissioners unanimously voted Tuesday to authorize the County Attorney’s Office to pursue legal action against Sheriff Gregory Tony’s office to secure access to county-owned facilities used by the Broward Sheriff’s Office, escalating a dispute over transparency, public spending and the sheriff’s authority.
The motion, introduced by Mayor Mark Bogen, directs the County Attorney’s Office to take “any and all appropriate legal action” necessary to enable the county to access and inspect those facilities, specifically including the Research, Development and Training Center (RDTC). It also authorizes the office to take other legal action necessary to enforce the county’s rights against BSO.
The vote followed a confrontation Monday, when Bogen and several commissioners attempted to enter the sheriff’s headquarters to inspect the training facility, but were denied access. A deputy told the group, which included members of the media, that a visit had to be scheduled through the sheriff’s office.
County leaders contend they should be able to access the facility because the county owns the building. Tony, however, maintains that commissioners cannot enter BSO facilities unannounced to conduct an inspection or audit.
Tuesday’s vote authorizes the county attorney to pursue appropriate legal remedies; it does not mean a lawsuit has already been filed.
“The taxpayers of Broward County deserve to know how every dollar is being spent,” Bogen said during Tuesday’s emergency meeting.
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Commissioners question sheriff’s finances
The dispute over access is part of a broader, months-long conflict over how BSO spends public money and what authority the county commission has to review the agency’s finances.
Last week, Bogen announced plans to direct the county auditor to investigate the sheriff’s spending and request budget documents from his office. He warned that county officials could pursue legal action if the records were not voluntarily provided.
Commissioners have also questioned how much funding BSO receives from sources beyond the county.
Commissioner Steve Geller said the county has allocated approximately $885 million to the sheriff’s office but does not have a complete picture of its funding from other sources.
“We know how much he gets from the county. We know how much he gets from the cities. I don’t know how much he gets from the state, federal government,” Geller said.
Geller pointed to differences in annual funding increases as evidence of what he says is an imbalance in how the county allocates taxpayer dollars. According to the figures he cited, funding for other county agencies increased 2.7% in 2025, compared with an 8.7% increase for BSO. In 2026, other county agencies saw a slight decrease in funding while BSO’s funding rose 3.1%. For 2027, funding for other county agencies increased 3.4%, compared with a 6.4% increase for BSO.
Bogen said he believes greater financial disclosure could resolve the dispute.
“Everything stops if they just open their books and say, ‘Here is what we’re spending our money on.’ It’s that simple,” he said.
Tony has rejected the commission’s position, arguing that the sheriff’s office is not subject to the type of oversight commissioners are seeking.
Shortly after Tuesday’s vote, Tony posted a video on social media.
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“They also don’t have the legal purview to this demand that they can walk into a facility unannounced at any point in time in some type of audit capacity or some inspection capacity. They don’t have that authority,” said Tony, who called the commission’s actions a political stunt.
The sheriff also reiterated his claim that BSO was operating under a “cone of silence” because of what he described as an ongoing criminal investigation involving the county commission by a statewide prosecutor.
Broward County Attorney Annika Ashton, however, said she was unaware of any such investigation involving county commissioners or county staff.
“Mayor, I’m not aware of any criminal investigation on any of the commissioners or any of our staff,” Ashton said during Tuesday’s emergency meeting.
Dispute could reshape county services
The fight over access to county facilities comes as commissioners reconsider the sheriff’s responsibilities.
In September, the commission voted to take control of the county’s fire department, which had been under BSO. County leaders have also discussed potentially moving other functions, including airport and seaport security and the county’s 911 system, out of the sheriff’s office.
On social media, the Sheriff said he’s in touch with attorneys at the Florida Sheriff’s Association and is waiting to see what the county does next.
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