A major law enforcement group in Florida has publicly thrown its support behind embattled Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, who faces a no-confidence vote from his deputies following numerous failures that have “crushed morale through the agency.”
Eddison Ricketts, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 53, wrote a letter to Israel to “reassure you that we have complete confidence in your abilities to lead the Broward Sheriff’s Office today and beyond.”
The statement also mentions the FOP’s recent unanimous vote to ratify its collective bargaining agreement with the BSO.
Israel and his agency have faced criticism for their response during and after the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in February that left 17 dead and 14 injured.
In a statement, the BSO deputies association said it scheduled the vote after "many instances of suspected malfeasance, misfeasance, failure to maintain fiduciary responsibility by the Sheriff, failure to properly investigate possible criminal conduct by members of his senior command staff and the lack of leadership that has crushed morale through the agency."
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