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| Government |
| Broward Sheriff Scott Israel tells staff he's being suspended over Parkland response |
| 2019-01-10 |
| It appears that Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel is preparing to pack it in, for now. The two-term sheriff, the object of fierce criticism over BSO’s handling of the Parkland massacre, told his top commanders that he will be removed from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis, sources told the Miami Herald. DeSantis, who was sworn in Tuesday morning, had not made a formal announcement of a possible suspension. Israel’s discussions with staff about his ouster were first reported by Miami New Times. Stuart N. Kaplan, one of Israel’s lawyers, said Israel was working at his office at the public safety building in Fort Lauderdale. "The governor has not said anything to us, directly or indirectly, as to whether or not the sheriff is going to be suspended,’’ Kaplan said. "He is working and continues to serve the citizens of Broward County.’’ But Jeff Bell, BSO’s union chief, said Israel told his staff on Monday that his ouster was inevitable. "We know that he is telling everyone at the public safety building that he is going to be gone,’’ said Bell, who was at DeSantis’ swearing-in ceremony in Tallahassee on Tuesday. Several candidates have been mentioned as possible replacements, including former Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti, a Republican like DeSantis. But Bell would not indicate whether the union was backing anyone. "What I will say is we want someone who will remove politics out of police work and commit to protecting the citizens and our children in the schools,’’ Bell said. There were unconfirmed reports that Israel’s undersheriff, Steve Kinsey, had resigned. The sheriff’s communications office did not respond to requests for comment. Israel, 62 ‐ a 30-year law enforcement veteran ‐ has vowed to fight any effort to strip him of his office. He maintains that while mistakes were made in responding to the rampage, they were not serious enough to warrant his suspension or removal from office. Israel has long defended his agency’s actions on Feb. 14, 2018, when 17 people ‐ 14 of them students ‐ were slain by a gunman in what is considered the worst mass high school shooting in U.S. history. |
| Posted by:Beavis |
| #6 Suspended...like from a rope? Apologies to Ms. C-word. |
| Posted by: Anomalous Sources 2019-01-10 21:24 |
| #5 In a better world he's have purchases a samuraii sword by now and selected a second by now. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2019-01-10 13:27 |
| #4 Something odd about that fellow. Sort of a Joe Izuzu of law enforcement. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2019-01-10 13:06 |
| #3 Complicit in a mass shooting - he belongs in the state pen. |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2019-01-10 11:32 |
| #2 Plenty of dominoes to fall behind this guy... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2019-01-10 08:32 |
| #1 What response? |
| Posted by: newc 2019-01-10 00:48 |