Florida’s largest sheriff’s office has lost its law enforcement accreditation after criticism over its handling of fatal shootings at a high school and airport.
The Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation voted 13-0 last week not to renew the Broward Sheriff’s Office’s accreditation. Commission members include law enforcement and other local officials from across Florida.
They cited the agency’s handling of last year’s Parkland shooting and a 2017 shooting at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport as reasons for the decision.
Sheriff Gregory Tony says it’s disheartening for the agency’s 5,400 employees to lose their accreditation for the previous administration’s mistakes. BSO’s former sheriff, Scott Israel, was suspended by the governor earlier this year.
CFA Executive Director Lori Mizell says 166 agencies have the voluntary certification. An agency can keep operating without accreditation. Mizell says having accreditation means an agency meets more than 250 professional standards.
