Broward County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to pursue any necessary legal action to access the Broward Sheriff’s Office headquarters.
This comes after Mayor Mark Bogen and other county commissioners attempted to enter the headquarters Monday, but say they were blocked.
Bogen said they were trying to tour BSO’s training facility, which a county auditor said cost more than expected.
“ We have a sheriff who refuses to disclose things, fights our requests, locks his doors, hides in his office,” said Bogen at the emergency comission meeting on Tuesdsy. “Everything stops if they just open their books and say, ‘Here's what we're spending our money on.’”
The county and sheriff’s office have been in an ongoing budget battle that has resulted in stalled negotiations. Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony argues BSO needs more funding for salary raises.
In response to Tuesday’s commission vote, Tony in a social media post called it a “foolish decision” that will cost hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars.
“An attack on the Sheriff's constitutional powers and authority will prompt a unified response from all 67 sheriffs,” said Tony in a video shared on Facebook.
READ MORE: ‘Stop bullying us’: Broward County shelves sheriff's $5.8 million budget request as feud escalates
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