BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. — Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony publicly asked if he should “destroy” Deerfield Beach City Manager Rodney Brimlow during a recent roll call, intensifying a contract dispute that has left the city considering whether to cut ties with the sheriff’s office.
“You tell me if I should go absolutely nuclear on this and destroy him?” Tony asked deputies on Aug. 7. “Because I have the power of this office to do a lot of damage to individuals.”
Brimlow, a former Broward deputy, is now working from home, and the city is weighing whether to renew its multi-million-dollar contract with the agency, which provides police and fire services in Deerfield Beach.
“This is one person and their own personal agenda who I am going to run over for you,” Tony added during the recorded meeting, which he later posted on Instagram.
Deerfield Beach Mayor Todd Drosky said the city manager’s decision to work remotely comes amid concern over Tony’s language.
“He’s elected to work remote for the time being,” Drosky said.
When asked by Local 10 News whether Brimlow felt threatened, Drosky responded, “You’ll have to talk to the city manager to know what’s inside of his head. But for the time being, yes.”
“This is a contract vendor, so for him to be suggesting that we should fire our city manager while we’re trying to put a marriage together, quite frankly, is counterproductive,” he said.
Tony’s criticism centers on Brimlow’s alleged refusal to raise deputy pay in the new contract, something the sheriff says deputies have earned.
“We’re not getting paid what we deserve and we’re putting our lives on the line and we have a 92% satisfactory rate county-wide,” Tony said.
But Drosky maintains the disagreement is strictly about the budget, not personalities.
Tony says he wants the city to “get back at the table” and “fulfill their obligations to the community, hear all the facts and make an informed decision.”
While Deerfield Beach reconsiders its deal with the Broward Sheriff’s Office, nearby Pompano Beach is moving forward with extending its own contract.
Local 10 News has reached out to Brimlow’s office for comment but has not yet received a response as of Tuesday evening.
BSO released the following statement from Tony:
“On August 7, 2025, at 6 p.m., I held a virtual roll call with members of the Broward Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement and Fire Rescue divisions serving the Deerfield Beach District. The purpose of this meeting was to address and correct misinformation being circulated by Deerfield Beach City Manager Rodney Brimlow, a former employee of this agency.
“The inaccurate narrative being promoted is undermining morale among our personnel. It is rooted in a misrepresentation of a third-party salary study, which clearly outlines the need to bring BSO compensation in line with comparable agencies at the local and national levels. Moreover, Mr. Brimlow knowingly and intentionally provided the Deerfield Beach City Commission with misinformation that will ultimately force the commission into making an uninformed decision that will be detrimental to the residents of Deerfield Beach.
“In a desperate and cowardly act, Mr. Brimlow filed a false police report to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement alleging he was threatened by me and now is in fear for his life. While my language was direct and candid, it was in the context of speaking with seasoned public safety professionals who serve the community with courage and sacrifice. My message was one of support and advocacy—standing up for the men and women who protect Deerfield Beach every day. No false police report or political attacks will silence me from fighting for the residents of Deerfield Beach and the men and women who protect them.
“This gamesmanship and pattern of abuse in this community from politicians, corrupt cops, and detractors to file frivolous complaints or allegations against me in hopes to distract the community from the truth, is at its end. As the chief law enforcement officer of this county, I will not hesitate to arrest anyone who violates the law; to include those who violated Florida Statute 817.49 - False Report of a Crime; and Florida Statute 837.05 - Giving False Information to Law Enforcement. Mr. Brimlow should be terminated immediately for such corrupt practices and unwarranted conduct. If he was my employee, that would be the expectation from the city commissioners.
“It is regrettable that a former employee, now in a government leadership role, has chosen to fabricate grievances to support his personal agenda over that of the public interest. Efforts to discredit the hard work of myself, our deputies, and firefighters through political gamesmanship are unacceptable and will not go unchallenged.
“As Sheriff, I will continue to support our first responders and stand with the residents and elected officials of Deerfield Beach who value their service. My salary is set by the State of Florida; I have nothing personal to gain in this matter. My commitment is, and will always be, to the safety and well-being of the community and the personnel I have the honor to lead.”
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