The Broward County Sheriff’s Office will no longer staff the state’s Juvenile Assistance Center in Fort Lauderdale.
The center processes anyone 17 or younger who has been detained or sentenced for a crime.
BSO deputies would staff the facility 24 hours a day, processing detainees before turning them over to the State Department of Juvenile Justice.
WLRN’s Broward County Reporter Carlton Gillespie reports that this is the culmination of a long dispute over staff pay.
"Back in September, Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony was awarded more than $8 million for staff salaries, but he said it wasn’t enough," Gillespie said. "In his argument for more money, Tony regularly brought up that he is losing staff to higher-paying counties. In a letter announcing the decision, BSO cited staffing shortages as a primary factor in deciding to no longer staff the facility."
The decision goes into effect on May 2.
READ MORE: Despite controversy, Broward Sheriff's Office sees $84 million budget increase
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