A proposal to create a 377-member Broward schools police force is facing opposition from some local elected officials that could end up derailing the plan.
Some local mayors and city commissioners argue that the proposal to replace 202 school resource resource officers from local law enforcement agencies — primarily the Broward Sheriff — with officers employed by the district is rushed and could jeopardize school safety. The plan is scheduled for a vote by the School Board on Tuesday.
“As much as anyone, I understand the importance of school safety, but I firmly believe that this decision will make our schools less safe and ultimately result in higher costs for Broward County residents,” Parkland Mayor Rich Walker wrote to School Board members Thursday. “The addition of an entirely new layer of government is not a cost-effective or safer solution.”
Sunrise Mayor Mike Ryan voiced similar concerns in a commentary published Wednesday in the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
“Multiple Broward school safety task forces and the School Board staff itself have already concluded the School Board does not have the financial and management capacity to deploy and maintain such a sprawling and complicated police force,” Ryan wrote.
The school district has explored the idea multiple times before and had previously concluded an internal police force was too expensive. But the proposal the School Board is scheduled to consider Tuesday suggests that the district can operate a police department for the same cost or less than using outside agencies.
The meeting is scheduled for 11 a.m. and many elected officials are expected to show up to voice their concern.
Several local officials say the district should focus on academics, not creating a police force. They question whether the district would be able to offer the same level of protection as the Broward Sheriff’s Office and city departments. They argue the district is voting on the proposal without holding any workshops or public hearings.
“I ask that you step back, have the transparency that the board professes to have and involve the communities that are affected,” Coral Springs Commissioner Joy Carter wrote to School Board members.
Although Weston residents may be divided politically on other issues, “I can pretty much guarantee you that the residents of Weston are strongly united on the support they have for our [Broward sheriff’s] deputies and the incredible job they do protecting all our students,” Byron Jaffe, a Weston city commissioner, told the Sun Sentinel Thursday.
Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony weighed in Friday, urging caution.
“As the School Board considers options, BSO and our local law enforcement partners remain dedicated to keeping the school children of Broward County safe,” he said in a statement to the Sun Sentinel. “Any decision that impacts the safety of our schools must be what is best, not what is the least expensive.”
Broward’s neighboring districts, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties, have had their own police forces for decades. Broward Superintendent Peter Licata, a former Palm Beach County administrator, hired Jim Kelly, former Palm Beach County school police chief, to help develop Broward’s proposal. Licata said in a recent interview he was impressed with his former district’s department.
“I’ve seen the interaction. I’ve seen the benefits of it. I’ve also seen the cohesiveness of it as well as the well-orchestrated, uniformed application of policies, practices and procedures,” Licata said. “The ability to train our force as one and not worry about different perspectives from other municipalities.”
But the controversy over the matter could hinder the district’s ability to get start-up funding in Tallahassee.
Two Democratic state legislators from Broward, Rep. Dan Daley and Sen. Lauren Book, have filed appropriations requests in the Legislature for $5 million for vehicles, uniforms and equipment. The request was submitted before the School Board voted to move forward due to a filing deadline, Daley said.
Daley told the Sun Sentinel he’ll withdraw the request if the School Board fails to approve it Tuesday or if the district can’t work out its differences with local leaders.
“I’m not getting into a pissing match between the School Board and the cities,” Daley said. “The School Board needs to have meetings with the cities. Not just the chiefs of police, not just the city managers but elected officials, anyone who is interested in seeing how the plan is going to work.”
Licata is scheduled to meet Monday with representatives of the Broward League of Cities, which represent elected officials, and the Broward County City Managers Association, district spokesman John Sullivan said.
“The idea of creating a BCPS police department has frequently been mentioned at open meetings by our Board and Superintendent,” Sullivan said. “As part of formulating a proposal as directed by the Board, the Superintendent has discussed the option with several stakeholders, including representatives from the League of Cities.
“We are thankful for the support of our municipal partners and remain committed to working with them and the entire community collaboratively as we continue to explore the viability of the option,” Sullivan said.
School Board members decided in July to study the idea of creating a district police force after a series of contentious negotiations with local municipalities. City officials have complained for years that the school district failed to pay an adequate share of the costs. The district paid $46,252 per officer in 2018, which cities argued was less than a third of the actual costs.
The School Board agreed to raise the payment to $61,200 in 2021 to $103,000 in 2023. So far, the district and the cities have not reached a reimbursement agreement for the current school year. The agencies are still covering schools in the meantime.
Last summer, the city of Hollywood asked the School Board to increase reimbursement to $166,959 per officer as well as pay for two supervisors at a cost of $208,261 each. That request prompted board members, including Chairwoman Lori Alhadeff, to ask Superintendent Peter Licata to pursue an district police force.
While Alhadeff has remained a strong supporter of the idea, it’s not clear the plan has the support of the majority of members, especially after receiving letters and emails of concern from elected officials.
“You have previously said your priority is to increase academic performance across the county,” Walker, the Parkland mayor, wrote to School Board members. “That is a difficult, time-consuming, and resource-heavy path. It requires tough decisions that this board has committed to making. Please keep your eye on the academic ball and consider revisiting a police force at a more prudent time.”
That argument resonated with School Board member Nora Rupert, who was previously open to the idea.
“I am thinking this is not the right time. Our wheelhouse is educating students,” Rupert said. “How about a plan to have 75% of our students reading by third grade?”
Board member Allen Zeman has been a vocal opponent of the plan for months, saying the idea doesn’t fit into any of the district’s strategic goals. He said he’s also skeptical the cost would be less, unless the district paid officers non-competitive salaries.
Board member Torey Alston was an enthusiastic supporter of the idea in August. “There is major value in improving safety with direct board oversight and integrating police in our schools,” he said then.
He was more measured this week as he started hearing from local elected leaders.
“I still believe our current school police framework needs improvement,” Alston told the Sun Sentinel. “The current costs will continue to rise and the current district bank account is in shambles. I’ve heard from many city officials with caution so I’m open minded. I’m leaving the door open to hear the presentation and full discussion.”
Board member Sarah Leonardi said she, too, is keeping an open mind.
“The last time the School Board discussed this, there seemed to be support from the majority of the board,” she said. “I’m looking forward to hearing the plan the superintendent has proposed.”
Leonardi said she’s talked to elected leaders in two cities she represents, Fort Lauderdale and Wilton Manors, and hasn’t heard the same concerns.
“As a city commissioner, it is in my best interest to have the School Board assume its state-mandated responsibility for providing security to schools,” Fort Lauderdale Commissioner John Herbst told the Sun Sentinel. “We only get reimbursed about half of what it costs to put an officer on the street, so it’s been a substantial financial burden.”
Whether the school district would provide the same quality service “is more an open question,” he said.
“Miami-Dade and Palm Beach have done a good job of having their own police force, and its probably not a bad thing,” Herbst said. “The requirements of police protection for a schools are somewhat different than general policing. Having a department specifically trained to deal with issues in schools, I think in the long run, is better.”
