Gregory Tony facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gregory Tony
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| 17th Sheriff of Broward County | |
| Assumed office January 11, 2019 |
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| Appointed by | Ron DeSantis |
| Preceded by | Scott Israel |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1978 (age 46–47) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Holly Tony |
| Residences | Broward County, Florida, U.S. |
| Alma mater |
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| Occupation | Law enforcement officer |
Gregory Scott Tony, born in 1978, is an American law enforcement officer. Since 2019, he has been the Sheriff of Broward County, Florida.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis first chose Tony to be sheriff in 2019. This was to fill an open spot. Later, in November 2020, Tony won an election to keep his job as sheriff.
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Early Life and Education
Tony was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up there as the youngest of five children. He went to Olney High School and finished in 1997.
After high school, Tony moved to Tallahassee, Florida. He attended Tallahassee Community College. Then, he went to Florida State University. There, he played football for the school team. In 2002, he earned a bachelor's degree in criminology. Criminology is the study of crime and how to prevent it.
He later earned a master's degree in criminal justice from Nova Southeastern University. This field focuses on the laws and systems that deal with crime. In 2024, he also received a doctorate degree in criminal justice from the same university.
Early Career
Tony started his career as a police officer in 2005. He worked for the Coral Springs Police Department. He was 26 years old at the time. He eventually became a sergeant there.
For many years, Tony also worked as an adjunct professor. This means he taught classes part-time at a college.
In 2015, Tony and his wife started a company. It was called Blue Spear Solutions. This company provided training for active shooter situations. From 2016 to 2017, Tony worked for North American Rescue. This company sold special kits to help stop serious bleeding.
Sheriff of Broward County
Becoming Sheriff
When Ron DeSantis was running to become Governor of Florida, he promised to replace the Broward Sheriff. Tony was one of the people considered for the job.
Governor DeSantis's team checked Tony's background quickly. They asked for a background check just one day before DeSantis chose Tony.
On January 11, 2019, Governor DeSantis removed the previous sheriff. This was after serious events like the Fort Lauderdale airport shooting and the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. At the same time, DeSantis appointed Tony as the new Sheriff of Broward County. A parent of a Stoneman Douglas victim had recommended Tony.
Union Concerns
In April 2020, a Broward Sheriff's Office deputy died from COVID-19. Many other deputies also got sick. The president of the deputies' union, Jeff Bell, spoke out. He said Tony was not providing enough safety gear for officers. Tony said Bell's actions were "dishonorable."
Tony then suspended the union president without pay. He later fired him in January 2022.
The union members then voted that they had "no confidence" in Tony. On June 3, 2020, the union asked Governor DeSantis to remove Tony. The governor did not take action.
2020 Election
Tony ran for sheriff in the August 2020 Democratic primary election. He won with 37% of the votes.
In the November general election, Tony won against other candidates. He received 63% of the votes. Broward County is a strong Democratic area.
Past Event
During the 2020 election, news came out about an event from Tony's past. When he was 14 years old in Philadelphia, he was involved in a shooting. He said it was in self-defense. The case was handled in juvenile court. He was found not guilty. The records about this event are sealed.
Tony did not mention this event when he applied for law enforcement jobs. When asked, he said he was not arrested. He stated he only went to the police station to give a statement.
Governor DeSantis did not know about this event before appointing Tony. He said it did not show up in the background check. When DeSantis learned about it in May 2020, he said he would let the voters decide.
Investigations
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) started an investigation into Tony in May 2020. This was due to a complaint about information he provided on job documents. In January 2022, their report said Tony did not disclose some past events. These included the 1993 shooting, a driver's license suspension, and a charge for a bad check. Tony chose not to be interviewed for the report. The FDLE sent its report to the Florida Ethics Commission.
In June 2022, another FDLE investigation found that Tony gave false information on a driver's license application in 2019. He did not mention a past license suspension. A state attorney's office did not pursue charges. A state commission recommended that Tony's police license be disciplined. In July 2022, Tony asked for a hearing to challenge this. In May 2024, a judge recommended that Tony receive a written warning. The judge also suggested he complete ethics training and be on probation for 18 months. The commission will make the final decision.
In September 2022, the Florida Commission on Ethics found that Tony likely misused his public position. This was because he provided false information or did not share important details. These actions helped him get his jobs. As a result, Broward state prosecutors added Tony to a list of officers. This list includes those whose testimony might be seen as less believable in court. In December 2022, the Ethics Commission again found probable cause. They believed Tony misused his position during his appointment as sheriff. Another hearing on this ethics complaint is still pending.
