By Dan Christensen, FloridaBulldog.org
A three-person panel of the state commission that certifies police officers found probable cause Tuesday to consider revoking Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony’s license to carry a badge and a gun.
The administrative charges against Tony were eight counts of “unlawful acts” involving his driver’s license. The case will go next before the full, 19-member Criminal Justice Standards & Training Commission (CJS&TC), possibly as early as next month when it meets in Ponte Vedra Beach on August 15-18. If the full commission decides to revoke Tony’s certification, he would no longer be a police officer, and would lose not only the ability to make an arrest, but his right to wear his sheriff’s uniform and the five stars he boasts on his collar.
The commission could also find no evidence exists to prove the case against Tony, or choose a lesser punishment. The guidelines for a finding that Tony made false statements are a suspension of his police certification for up to two years or revocation.
In any case, Tony is an elected constitutional officer and would remain sheriff.
Tuesday’s decision is also a blow to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who chose Tony without allowing time for a full vetting by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Among the things the governor did not know in January 2019 when he appointed Tony to replace Scott Israel, because Tony did not disclose it: that in 1993, when Tony was 14, he shot and killed an 18-year-old man. Tony was arrested and charged with murder, but was acquitted at trial in Philadelphia’s juvenile court. All records of the case are secret.
Florida Bulldog first published news of Tony’s murder arrest in May 2020.
‘PC’ FINDING BASED ON FDLE PROBE
Tony, a former Coral Springs police sergeant, was among 80 police and corrections officers officials from around Florida whose cases of “moral character” were considered.
Late Tuesday, Florida Bulldog obtained the panel’s probable cause determination sheet. It shows the case against Tony is rooted in findings contained in a FDLE report completed in July 2021 and made public in January. FDLE recommended that Tony be charged with felony perjury for lying about his past on a Feb. 1, 2019 application for a replacement driver’s license, but prosecutors in Lee County declined to indict.
The probable cause sheet says that on May 8, 2020 FDLE received a complaint alleging that Tony made false statements on multiple documents. During the criminal probe that followed, agents found information regarding falsifications on Tony’s applications for Florida Driver’s licenses.
In October 1999, Tony applied for a license and answered “yes” when asked if his driving privilege had ever been revoked in another state, and listed his reason as a ticket he’d gotten in Pennsylvania, the sheet says.
“Between March 15, 2002 and February 1, 2019, Tony submitted 11 applications for Florida Driver’s Licenses and was issued a replacement license each time. On eight of the applications, he answered “no” to the question asking if his driving privilege has ever been revoked, suspended or denied in any other state,” the sheet goes on. “Investigators obtained and reviewed Tony’s Pennsylvania driver record. Tony’s license was suspended on August 3, 1993 for failure to appear for trial or court appearance and January 23, 1998 for five separate cases of failure to appear for trial or court appearance.”
The complaint with CJS&TC was filed by FDLE Inspector Keith Riddick, the lead investigator in the two-year probe of Sheriff Tony. Riddick’s 20-page report detailed a variety of suspected crimes based on numerous lies Tony has told over the years when applying for law enforcement jobs and training. Many of those lies were determined to be too old to prosecute.
Sheriff Tony declined to be interviewed by FDLE agents during the investigation. Tony has also declined Florida Bulldog‘s repeated requests for comment.
Four months ago, shortly after the investigation was made public, Gov. DeSantis stated that he would review its findings. Since then, he’s had nothing publicly to say about it.
Jerald Fuller / June 21, 2022 2:06 pm
Greg Tony made some decisions as a youth that do not allow him to be a Police Officer. In order to be a Police Officer he has told dozens of lies on official documents. Gov DeSantis is his saving grace. The Gov will allow Tony to remain in office because that’s what is best for Gov DeSantis. Literally any other Police Officer/Elected Official in Florida would’ve been removed from their position. Gov DeSantis and his political associates including “The Ethics Commission “ will allow Tony to remain in office. The bottom line is Greg Tony is a flawed individual who has no business in his current job, and the reality is politics will allow it to remain. As a side note The Ethics Commission should go by a different title, maybe The Ron DeSantis Corruption Commission.
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Therealtruth / June 21, 2022 2:14 pm
The Govenor will have no choice but to remove Tony now. Officers have been removed for way less. The real question is Tony smart enough to voluntarily hand over his certification and step away?? You can’t have a guy with his past running a law enforcement agency.
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Jerald Fuller / June 21, 2022 2:43 pm
Greg Tony isn’t going anywhere until Ron DeSantis no longer needs him in office.
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He needs to step down for LYING !! / June 21, 2022 2:47 pm
He needs to step down for LYING !!
I agree with you THE REAL TRUTH
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Suzue q / June 21, 2022 4:19 pm
Isn’t it ironic that DeathSantis recommends liars to positions?
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Unjustly Fired / June 21, 2022 6:56 pm
Not a chance he steps away because it’s all about him. He has used this agency every chance he could to enrich himself politically and in his wallet. He has an advance team check out locations before he arrives to make sure he is safe and he travels with a photographer and video guy. He honestly thinks he is better than the people who elected him or his deputies.
There are major heads of law enforcement who don’t travel with a security detail like he doesamd there are members of congress who don’t travel with a camera and video crew.
He hit the lottery when he was appointed to this job and unfortunately no one vetted him. He’s jas done much worse than those he has fired, but ironically he’s getting due process now. Many of those he fired never got a fair shake or due process. He makes me sick. I hope that some of the horrible things he has done to his deputies is repayed on him 70 times 7. If by some chance the governor does the right thing once the final CJSTC hearing is held, maybe I will celebrate with a great steak dinner
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Patti / June 21, 2022 7:15 pm
What a message we are sending to our kids. Lie and you get the job. And, this is our Sheriff who is supposed to enforce the law.
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Jerald Fuller / June 21, 2022 7:15 pm
Robson, Benny, DaDaDaDaDamiano, Hale and all the other actual police officers that work there will be kissing the rear end of a decertified criminal, hopefully. I wonder if Tony is smart enough to realize they will cut him loose if/when he gets booted. He’s probably not that smart. I’m not gullible enough to think DeSantis would actually do that.
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Concerned Citizen 1 / June 21, 2022 8:54 pm
Okay, so here’s the deal ppl…DESANTIS WILL NOT REMOVE THIS MURDERER, PERJURER AND LSD USER, BECAUSE IT WILL DESTROY HIS GUBANATORIAL RE-ELECTION THIS UPCOMING NOVEMBER. LET’S CLARIFY, DESANTIS DID NOT RECOMMEND TONY/TONEY FOR BROWARD SHERIFF, THE “RECOMMENDATION” CAME FROM ANDREW POLLACK (TONY/TONEY’S GYM BUDDY AND WHOSE DAUGHTER WAS KILLED DURING THE SHOOTING (R.I.P), AND BACKED BY THE PARKLAND PARENTS, WHO SUFFERED A LOSS DURING THE HORRIFIC/TRAGIC STONEMAN DOUGLAS SHOOTING. (R.I.P.). HE WAS NOT PROPERLY VETTED BY FDLE/INSPECTOR RIDDICK; FDLE IS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE (CONNECT THE DOTS HERE)…TONY/TONEY WILL REAP WHAT HE SOWS. HE HAS POUNDED HIS CHEST NUMEROUS TIMES (AFTER THE FIRING OF SEVERAL DEPUTIES), WHOM ACCORDING TO HIM, HAVE TO BE HELD “ACCOUNTABLE!” WHAT A FRIGAIN’ JOKE HE IS!!! WHO WILL HOLD HIM ACCOUNTABLE??? THIS MO FO’ SHOULD’VE BEEN GONE ALREADY…YOU ARE ALL “ON-POINT” WITH YOUR COMMENTS! 🙂
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Maryann Reffett / June 21, 2022 9:40 pm
Tony is truly a disgrace…Not only is he saying to our younger generation, “it’s fine to lie” but to the community, “its okay to be a liar” Serious??? Even if they take “Tony’s” Police Certification away, that doesn’t make him fit for “Sheriff” or anything else except being a liar!!!!! There are sooooo many qualified candidates that can fill his shoes and then some!!! Corruption starts at the top!!! Hey, Broward County! Stop the Corruption because I promise you, you will all fall!!! Bring Broward County back to being Broward County, not Corrupt Broward County…I voted for you “Governor Desantis” and you let me down!!! With your answer which was unbelievable,”He’s not my Sheriff”????? Really…dah dah dah….Who the freak put “Tony” in office…Not me….Take responsibility for once and say you did the wrong thing. Not removing the idiot “Israel” but by appointing this idiot, killer, liar “Tony”………
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Marc / June 22, 2022 12:00 am
George won’t be elected/re-elected to any office.
De Santos won’t be re-elected guv.
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Cyndy / June 22, 2022 11:54 am
Police have standards?
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Carl Buehler / June 22, 2022 12:45 pm
I’m no fan of Governor Desantis, however from what I have seen and heard of Sheriff Tony, there is nothing in his behavior or management that have shown him to be ineffective as sheriff.
If anything Tony seems to have a liberal stance on police recruitment of women and minorities and promotion to senior positions. Tony also has asked for social worker assistance in training officers on how to deal with mental illness calls. Very much unlike Desantis whose own actions area cause for mental illness in our society.
As to Tony’s past lying on his police applications, every officer will tell you had he been truthful he would never have gotten an opportunity to serve our community in law enforcement. The Sun-Sentinel articles noted in two cases where he was honest, he was turned down for a police position. He learned what the system demanded, if you are Black with any type of suspect history, you are automatically Blacklisted! Tony dealt with it the only way he could.
So lets stick with the facts of his current and present service to the community which has been commendable, or more so than his predecessors. If the state wants to strip him of his police credentials, so be it, and so what? Those credentials are NOT required for his position as Sheriff, a position that has been held by non-police civilians.
As to the sudden similarity of negative posts against Sherriff Tony “associating” him with our real crook Desantis, whom I have never heard Tony mention, I smell a political smear campaign.
After all the Sheriff is an elected position, not appointed position.
Right now Sheriff Tony gets my liberal vote of confidence.
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Jerald Fuller / June 22, 2022 1:06 pm
I’m sure Carl is a wonderful person with great intentions. Absolutely clueless about Law Enforcement. There are standards/requirements to be a Police Officer. No one cares that Tony has a checkered past, lots of people do. You can’t lie about it, get caught and expect no consequences. Tony constantly tells people about how important it is to be honest and holding cops accountable. Give me a break, conical.
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Jerald Fuller / June 22, 2022 1:11 pm
Comical. Like I said before Tony made some decisions that prevent him from being a police officer. I also don’t blame him for taking advantage of this situation. I would’ve done the same. This entire situation is the fault of Ron DeSantis.
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Jerald Fuller / June 22, 2022 5:51 pm
Surprise surprise. Greg Tony is playing the race card. It took 24hrs which is about 23hrs longer than I expected. Jimmy Cefalo is one tough interviewer, reminds me of Mike Wallace. What a waste of air time. Hopefully Tony makes a complaint on the CJSTC for targeting him because he is African American.
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Concerned Citizen 1 / June 22, 2022 7:21 pm
Right on Mr. Fuller! I also listened to that “staged” INTERVIEW and was DISGUSTED. It’s ALWAYS ABOUT ‘RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION…’TONEY IS A JOKE AND DISGRACE. I DIDN’T HEAR CEFALO ASK HIM ABOUT HIS PAST LSD USAGE, OR THE NUMEROUS TIMES HE LIED (PERJURED HIMSELF) ON SEVERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT APPLICATIONS. “RACISM” IS THE NEW NORM IN TODAY’S SOCIETY…I’LL SAY IT AGAIN, IF HE WERE ‘WHITE,’ HE WOULD’VE BEEN FIRED 3 YEARS AGO! HE’S AN UNTOUCHABLE NARCISSISTIC SCUMBAG!
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Russell J. Di Perna / June 23, 2022 1:09 pm
Greg Tony playing the race card should not surprise anyone and is not a recent revelation based on the political environment he created in Broward County. It wasn’t that long ago during the height of the violent riots throughout urban America, that Greg Tony took a knee in solidarity with a group of BLM protesters in front of BSO Headquarters. An organization that is responsible for 95% of the violent riots during the summer of 2020, with an estimate of over 1.4 billion dollars in damages (Insurance Information Institute), more than 700 law enforcement officers injured (U.S Justice Department), and a death toll that rises to an estimated 30 victims (The FEDERALIST). “Many of the people killed were African Americans, compounding the tragedy for black families,” the Associated Press reported. While Tony plays the race card, respected black law enforcement leaders like former Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best said, “enough is enough.” However, Chief Best, who was on the shortlist to become the NYPD Commissioner, has established herself as one of this country’s pre-eminent law enforcement leaders, without controversy, or serious allegations.
In conclusion, expect more of the race card coming from Greg Tony. As he follows the Frank Marshall Davis Manifesto. Blame it on the race!
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Concerned Citizen 1 / June 23, 2022 8:24 pm
TONY/TONEY IS A DISGRACE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. SHOWING HIS TRUE COLORS INDEED! KNEELING IN SUPPORT OF “BLM”, WHAT MORE CAN BE SAID??? WELL WRITTEN MR. FULLER. LET’S SEE WHO REFUTES YOUR “STATS & FACTS…”
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Concerned Citizen 1 / June 23, 2022 8:26 pm
Sorry, I meant Mr. Di Perna, NOT “Fuller” 🙁
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Concerned citizen / July 15, 2022 3:59 pm
It’s a degrace……..lier, murder, uses the black card and fires other deputies for less. He’s got to go……
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Peter Draggin / August 17, 2022 3:29 pm
Well, looks like once again this whole look into his losing his certification has fallen into a black hole. Guess nothings happening this month. Ditto with the FBI probe. He and the system have clearly become a big joke. Hes going nowhere.
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