The COPS Office is pleased to feature the Broward County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office as a 2024 winner of the Community Policing in Action Photo Contest.

Broward County, Florida law enforcement joined forces with the state’s littlest heroes to help raise awareness for childhood cancer during December 2023’s Childhood Cancer Gold Ribbon Parade.

“It was a heartwarming event,” said Major Renea Peterson, Director of Government Affairs for the Broward County Sheriff’s Office (BSO), who is shown in the photo with two costumed parade participants and a brave young cancer patient.

“This photo captured the spirit of that day, as BSO deputies joined other first responders from agencies throughout the tri-county area to show our support for the children and families fighting childhood cancer. The kids loved the lights and sirens and seeing fire responders rooting for them. And those of us who participated got just as much pleasure from seeing their joy and excitement,” she added.

The Gold Ribbon parade was started in 2016 by The Mystic Force Foundation, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness and funds for childhood cancer research. On this December day, law enforcement vehicles accompanied first responders and the United Super Heroes for Kids, some of whom dressed in costumes, as the caravan paraded by the Joe DiMaggio Childrens Hospital in Hollywood and Broward Health Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital, both of whose staff members brought their young patients to an area where they could view the parade.

The Mystic Force Foundation’s motto, “no one fights cancer alone,” can be said to also apply to the BSO’s commitment to community policing, which is based on the principle that collaborating with the community is the most effective way for law enforcement to fight crime and disorder.

Building Personal Relationships in a Large and Diverse Community

Since 2019, when Dr. Gregory Tony was elected Broward County sheriff, he has focused on integrating the principle of community policing throughout his department of approximately 5,500 employees.

Serving a very large South Florida jurisdiction—Florida’s largest, including 12 cities and towns, a major airport, a seaport, and a courthouse—the BSO also serves a diverse population of approximately two million people. To build relationships with them, the agency has developed several programs and initiatives. The first of these is BSO On Your Block: Park, Walk and Talk, an initiative launched by Sheriff Tony to encourage deputies to step out of their cars and interact with people, hear their concerns, and discuss how to address them.

Said Tony, “I have seen how small interactions with the public can achieve huge safety results, so I have directed our deputies to get out of their patrol cars, walk the streets and connect with people.

“These interactions go a long way toward building trust and respect, raising awareness, and bridging any gaps that may exist. When we are more visible and hands-on, people feel more comfortable sharing concerns, providing helpful tips, and ultimately contributing to a safer and brighter future for all.”

A Neighborhood Support Team

Soon after starting that program, Sheriff Tony launched the Neighborhood Support Team (NST), which is composed of law enforcement representatives who work with members of the community to develop a strong network of representation and involvement.

Said Major Peterson, “Sheriff Dr. Tony started NST to bring community policing to all areas of Broward County, and also to build relationships with other police municipalities, working with other first responders to create positive working partnerships.”

NST, which is a unit of the Sheriff’s Office, with regional and district liaisons in each Broward County city patrolled by BSO, includes both sworn and civilian BSO staff who meet regularly with residents, faith leaders, business owners, school board officials, and other stakeholders.

In addition to hosting quarterly meetings and trainings, NST members partner with outside social services organizations to share resources with residents. One such organization, Sweet Dreams, provides beds to families that need them. BSO deputies also help connect veterans, seniors, individuals suffering from mental health issues, and families struggling to put food on their table with the resources they need. Another focus is the county’s young people, whom they support through back-to-school events and mentorship initiatives such as the BSO LEAD Camp.

An additional BSO community program is the Social Justice Task Force (STF), which collaborates with community activists and other stakeholders in the areas of education, dialogue, and advocacy. Through regular meetings held to address community concerns, STF enhances the transparency, communication, and accountability of the Broward Sheriff’s Office with county communities.

A Cultural Development and Awareness Program (CDAP)

Both the Neighborhood Support Team and the Social Justice Task Force have received strong support from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) through a funding grant called The Cultural Development and Awareness Program (CDAP).

Said Peterson, “The CDAP grant was crucial in helping the BSO expand community policing within Broward County by funding overtime for personnel to attend additional community events. This gave us the ability to expand the reach of NST by hiring additional deputies from specialized units to attend community events.

“It allowed our law enforcement professionals to go beyond simply being present in the community by enabling them to spend quality time with residents while learning about the diversity that exists within Broward County’s borders.

“It also enabled mutual understanding and respect among Broward County’s diverse ethnic groups. I have learned so much about other cultures by attending events during the Jewish High Holy Days, Ramadan, and other important religious and cultural celebrations throughout our communities.

“Broward County is home to many part-time residents such as ‘snowbirds’ from Canada and Europe. There are also people from the Caribbean, and South and Central America, as well as Asian and African Americans. Plus, many others who live and visit here. We really are in a sea of diversity.

“The CDAP grant not only allowed people in our various communities to be seen and heard, it enabled them to see us as community members, mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers, much like them. Community discussions teach us all about our mutual humanity.”

At the conclusion of the grant period in the spring of 2024, deputies and civilians assigned to the CDAP said that community members expressed satisfaction with the law enforcement presence in their neighborhoods. Law enforcement officers and civilian staff members also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to go above and beyond in their daily duties to reach Broward’s vibrant and diverse community members.

Noting that the BSO NST has won national, state, and local awards for the work they’ve done through community policing, Peterson added that “the greatest lesson learned by law enforcement and members of our community is that we are better together when we show up with our minds and hearts open, ready to listen and learn.”

Faye C. Elkins
Sr. Technical Writer
COPS Office

Photo courtesy of the Broward County (FL) Sheriff’s Office.

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