FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - The results of a no-confidence vote based on Broward Sheriff Scott Israel’s performance show that 534 deputies have no confidence in their leader.
The no-confidence vote took place among the Broward Sheriff’s Office Deputies Association comprised of over 1,300 members. A total of 628 deputies took part in the vote, with 534 saying they have no confidence, and another 94 saying they do.
There are eight total unions that cover the entire Broward Sheriff’s Office.
The union said they plan to take the findings of the vote to Gov. Rick Scott and hope he will take action.
“We’re going to ask the governor to please listen to the men and women in Broward County, that we do not agree with this ‘amazing leadership’ in Broward County and to please make change,” said Bell.
The governor does have the power to remove an elected official from office, but, so far, the governor’s office has only said it is doing an investigation into the Parkland tragedy with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Sheriff Israel released a statement in response to the vote, saying: “I am accountable to the citizens of Broward County. My job is to continue to do the job I was elected to do, which is to ensure the safety of Broward County’s 1.9 million residents. I will not be distracted from my duties by this inconsequential IUPA union vote, which was designed to extort a 6.5 percent pay raise from this agency. Those who purportedly voted in this straw ballot reflect only a small number of the 5,400 BSO employees. The unions representing a vast majority of our employees solidly support the leadership of this agency.”
https://twitter.com/browardsheriff/status/989602697346277376
Israel attended an annual ceremony on Thursday morning for fallen deputies while waiting for the results of the no-confidence vote.
Leaders of the deputy union said they held the vote because of Israel’s behavior in the aftermath of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.
The president of the union, Jeff Bell, called Israel’s performance “embarrassing.” Bell also took issue with Israel’s public calling out of Stoneman Douglas resource deputy Scot Peterson.
“That upset a lot of deputies, where the sheriff went out there and publicly called Deputy Peterson a coward,” Bell said last week.
However, Israel disagrees with those who question his performance.
“It’s appalling, it’s shameful,” said Israel. “Not to file a vote of no-confidence — like I said, that’s inconsequential. The shameful thing is to bring Parkland in and that tragedy.”
He added, “In fact, the union boss who asked for this vote of no-confidence wrote me a beautiful letter a year and a half ago, actually endorsing me for sheriff, talking about my leadership and morals. What’s changed since then? Really only one thing: I denied them a 6.5 percent raise.”
In the letter dated July 29, 2016, Bell recognized the importance of strong leadership, morals and continued commitment to the community and law enforcement.
“But the promises that he made to improve this agency, to equip us better and give us better training and all these commitments that he promised have fell to the wayside, because he got re-elected for another four years,” said Bell.
Bell disputed the insinuation that this was over a raise, saying Israel is a “complete liar,” and that this has never been about a contract.
“It has nothing to do with it. He fails to listen to the people, he fails to listen to the membership and he wants to blame everybody else for his problems,” said Bell.
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