Broward County has approved a study that would evaluate whether or not the county would reclaim fire rescue from the Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO).
Broward County Fire Rescue operated until 2003, when it was absorbed by the BSO.
The decision, made during Tuesday's commission meeting, comes as the county and BSO continue to spar over the sheriff's budget, and as several Broward municipalities consider cutting ties with BSO altogether.
Last year, Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony requested a 9% budget increase. But the county only gave 3%. So he appealed the decision to the state. The Executive Office of the Governor was slated to hold a hearing in February to resolve the dispute, but that meeting was cancelled. No new date has been scheduled for the hearing.
Deerfield Beach voted earlier this year to cut ties with BSO for law enforcement and fire rescue services. Meanwhile, Pompano Beach is currently conducting a feasibility study on doing the same.
Broward has also begun to look into standing up separate law enforcement agencies for Port Everglades and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Currently, those areas are patrolled by BSO.
READ MORE: Broward County alleges sheriff’s ‘financial mismanagement’ amid bitter budget feud
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