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 | 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 1978) is an American law enforcement officer. Since 2019, he has served as the 17th Sheriff of Broward County, Florida. He was first chosen for the role by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in 2019. Later, in November 2020, Tony won an election to keep his position as sheriff.
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Early Life and Education
Gregory Tony was born in 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He grew up there as the youngest of five children. He went to Olney High School in Philadelphia and graduated in 1997.
After high school, Tony moved to Tallahassee, Florida. He attended Tallahassee Community College. Then, he went to Florida State University, where he played football. In 2002, he earned a bachelor's degree in criminology, which is the study of crime and justice. Later, he also earned a master's degree in criminal justice from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Early Career as a Police Officer
Tony began his career as a police officer in 2005. He worked for the police department in Coral Springs, Florida. He served there for 11 years, becoming a sergeant. In 2016, he left the Coral Springs Police Department.
After leaving the police department, Tony worked for a company called North American Rescue. This company sells special kits to help stop serious bleeding. He worked there from 2016 to 2017. Tony also founded his own company, Blue Spear Solutions, which is now run by his wife. This company also sells products from North American Rescue.
Becoming Sheriff of Broward County
How Tony Became Sheriff
In 2019, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis chose Gregory Tony to become the new Sheriff of Broward County. This happened after the previous sheriff was removed from office. Governor DeSantis had promised to find a new sheriff for Broward County.
The governor's office quickly checked Tony's background before appointing him. Tony was chosen largely because a parent of a student affected by a school shooting recommended him. This parent had met Tony at a gym.
Serving as Sheriff
As Sheriff, Gregory Tony leads the Broward County Sheriff's Office. This office is in charge of law enforcement and public safety in Broward County.
In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Florida, some police officers were concerned about not having enough safety gear. The president of the Broward Sheriff's Office Deputies Association, Jeff Bell, spoke out about this. Sheriff Tony disagreed with Bell's actions. Later, Tony suspended and then fired the union president.
The police union then held a vote to show they had lost trust in Sheriff Tony. They also asked Governor DeSantis to remove Tony from his position. However, the governor did not take any action.
The 2020 Election
In August 2020, Gregory Tony ran for sheriff in the Democratic primary election. He won this election against several other candidates.
Then, in the November general election, Tony ran against a Republican candidate and an independent candidate. He won the election with 63% of the votes. This meant he was officially elected as the Sheriff of Broward County, a position he had previously held by appointment.
Investigations and Ethics
Sometimes, public officials face questions about their past actions. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) looked into whether Gregory Tony had given incorrect information on some documents. They found that he could not be charged with a crime because too much time had passed.
Another investigation by the FDLE in 2022 looked into information Tony provided on a driver's license application. They found that he had not mentioned a previous license suspension. However, no criminal charges were filed in this case.
A group called the Florida Criminal Justice Standards & Training Commission suggested that Tony should face a disciplinary process. They even recommended that he should not be allowed to be a police officer in Florida. Tony has asked for a hearing to challenge this decision. In May 2024, a judge recommended that Tony receive a written warning, take ethics training, and be on probation for 18 months. The commission will make the final decision.
The Florida Commission on Ethics also looked into complaints about Tony. They found that there was a good reason to believe Tony might have misused his public position. This was related to how he provided information when getting his jobs. As a result, Broward state prosecutors added Tony to a list of officials whose testimony might be questioned in court. Another ethics hearing is still pending.
