The most important responsibility of any local government is to ensure the safety and security of its residents. But responsible municipal governance also requires prudent attention to cost structures, budget predictability and operational flexibility.
It was through that lens of local control and fiscal responsibility that the Deerfield Beach City Commission voted 4 to 1 last Tuesday to not renew its contract with the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) and establish its own Public Safety Department providing professional law enforcement and fire rescue services dedicated exclusively to Deerfield Beach residents.
Todd Drosky is the mayor of Deerfield Beach.
That decision was made after a thorough cost-benefit analysis and lengthy deliberation and discussion of options. The Center for Public Safety conducted a study to determine whether it would be feasible for Deerfield Beach to create its own law enforcement and fire-rescue departments. The study’s results indicated that not only was it feasible, but the cost savings would be enormous — up to $950 million. In fact, prior to 1990, Deerfield Beach did have its own public safety department. The decision to contract with BSO was made largely to satisfy a pension program funding issue that has nearly been fully resolved.
Much has changed over the past 35 years. Deerfield Beach is now a much larger and diverse city of over 87,000 residents and will soon exceed 100,000. The simple fact is that the BSO model no longer works for a city of our size and budget. Continuing a BSO contract structure would expose the city to long-term escalating costs over which it has no authority or control.
Now, Deerfield Beach will begin a transition from BSO to our own Public Safety Department.
Building it will require careful planning and one-time start-up investment. But we will have direct accountability, local control and the ability to manage costs responsibly over time all while maintaining or even enhancing service levels to those that fit our residents’ needs and demands.
We are not charting new territory. Deerfield Beach will become the 18th city (out of 31) in Broward County to manage and direct both its own police and fire departments. Many of the police officers and firefighters currently working in Deerfield Beach are expected to become a permanent part of the new Deerfield Beach departments.
It is expected to take approximately 20 months for the new public safety departments to become fully operational and deploy the new team of Deerfield Beach first responders across the city. During the transition, the Broward Sheriff’s Office will continue to provide all services under the terms of a separation contract.
My colleagues and I on the City Commission all agree that Deerfield Beach is a unique, hidden gem. And now we will have our own public safety departments built from the ground up in our image, with our culture and with Deerfield Beach values. We will be a community of local policing where the residents know their police officers and firefighters by name.
Deerfield Beach’s best days are yet to come — and bringing public safety back to city control is a giant step in the right direction.
Todd Drosky is the mayor of Deerfield Beach.
