NEAR FORT LAUDERDALE (WSVN) — Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony said a new report by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has determined that recent comments made by him did not pose a threat to Deerfield Beach city manager Rodney Brimlow’s life.
Tony referred to the comments he shared on social media, Monday, where he blamed the lack of a new contract with pay raises for Deerfield Beach squarely on Brimlow.
“You tell me if I should go absolutely nuclear on this and destroy him, because I have the power of this office to do a lot of damage to individuals, but I have safeguard and protected my personal temperament,” said Tony in the video. “Even when I was on the chopping ax and people attacked me, I kept my professional decorum, and I led this agency the right way.”
Brimlow, a retired Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy, perceived the comments to be a threat against his life, according to Tony, and filed a police report with the FDLE.
Deerfield Beach officials deny this claim by Tony, but the city’s mayor Todd Drosky said Tuesday the city manager doesn’t feel safe coming to work.
“Based upon the call, the roll call that the sheriff had, that [the city manager] has elected to work remote for the time being,” said Drosky.
On Wednesday, Tony held a press conference where he said FDLE investigators concluded that his comments were not a threat to Brimlow’s life.
“Did I advocate for my people? You’re damn right, because these people are putting their lives on the line every day for you as I have done, specifically in Deerfield [Beach],” said Tony. “The people of Deerfield Beach will not suffer any loss in our public safety services. That is clear, that is non-negotiable.”
According to the report by FDLE, they “received an allegation from Deerfield Beach City Manager Rodney Brimlow that Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony may have threatened to do physical harm,” but that they found “Tony did not make any direct overt threat to the personal safety of Brimlow.”
Tony added during his press conference that the dust-up with Brimlow is political.
“And when you don’t like what’s heard, you take it as an opportunity, ‘Oh, I got the sheriff now. Let me file another false report,'” said Tony.
This war of words between Tony and Brimlow comes amid a stalled contract negotiations with the City of Deerfield Beach.
Tony wants BSO deputies in Deerfield Beach to get pay raises. Deerfield Beach officials say he asked for a 10% increase despite them agreeing to a 5% increase.
Due to this standoff, Deerfield Beach officials said the city received a termination notice from the sheriff, ceasing services on Sept. 30.
Deerfield Beach said Wednesday that Brimlow never filed a “false criminal complaint against Tony” and they stand by him.
In a statement, city officials said in part: “The City stands by the fact that City Manager Brimlow did not file a false criminal complaint against Sheriff Tony, and did not provide any false information of a crime to any law enforcement agency. What still remains is this: The Broward Sheriff’s Office requested a 10% increase in its contract for Fiscal Year 2026.”
Tony said he will file a report against Brimlow with FDLE for filing the alleged complaint against him.
“I can go arrest this man right now, ladies and gentlemen. I can. But the more important factor is getting this contract resolved so that our people can have assurance that the safety is still being provided and the best public safety personnel are not leaving,” he said.
Amid all of this, negotiations between BSO and Deerfield Beach continue. BSO said they’ve come up with several scenarios to bring the pay raise down to the 5% cap.
If the negotiations do not result in an agreement, BSO would still provide services to Deerfield Beach during this two-year transition period.
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