Governor Ron DeSantis has signed an executive order removing embattled Broward Sheriff Scott Israel for incompetence.
“The incompetence, the negligence is directly related to the Parkland massacre, the massacre would never have happened if Broward had better leadership,” said the governor of Florida.
The Broward Sheriff, Israel, has been strongly criticized by the governor, even during his electoral campaign, for the alleged “non-compliance with his responsibilities”, as head of the Sheriff’s Department, during the questioned response of those police officers to the attack on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas School on February 14, in which 17 people died, including 14 students.
He added: “Broward and the rest of Florida need the culprits (of the massacre) to be held accountable.”
He will be replaced by Gregory Tony, a retired sergeant of Coral Springs and president of a company that trains clients on how to respond to shootings. Tony will become the first African-American to be head of the Broward Police.
DeSantis highlighted Gregory Tony as a man with “character, principles, integrity and conviction”.
DeSantis had said in his opening speech that he would take swift action against elected officials who did not do their duty, which was interpreted as a clear message against the Broward Police Chief.
DeSantis said in his opening speech that he would take swift action against elected officials who did not do their duty, which was interpreted as a clear message against the Broward Police Chief.
Israel’s suspension was celebrated by Roger Borges, father of Venezuelan student Anthony Borges who helped save 20 student during the shooting and who spent four months in the hospital recovering from five shots.
“Do justice by removing a person who did so much damage to the community … and so much damage to this county is an exemplary act,” Borges told reporters.
