Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Lamar P. Fisher
Department: County Commission
Information
Requested Action
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MOTION TO DIRECT County Administrator, in coordination with the County Attorney’s Office, to outline the process necessary to bring the Broward County Department of Fire Rescue back under the operational control of Broward County and to submit such outlined process for consideration by the Board of County Commissioners (“Commission”) at the same Commission meeting during which the Jensen Hughes study regarding forming a law enforcement agency will be presented. (Commissioner Fisher)
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Why Action is Necessary
Required to provide formal direction to senior County staff.
What Action Accomplishes
Provides the above-referenced direction.
Goal Related Icon(s)
☐County Commission
☐Go Green
☐MAP Broward
Previous Action Taken
Summary Explanation/Background
On July 1, 2003, the Commission voted 6-2 to approve the Interlocal Agreement, titled “Providing for Delivery of Fire/Rescue Services,” with Kenneth C. Jenne II, the then-current Sheriff of Broward County, beginning October 1, 2003. Since then, the Broward Sheriff’s Office (“BSO”) has provided day-to-day operational oversight of the fire rescue function. The County provides funding for regional fire rescue services, such as helicopters and hazardous materials response units. Municipalities contracting with BSO for fire rescue services pay BSO for those services.
In December 2025, the Broward County Aviation Department engaged Jensen Hughes, a consulting company, to study the feasibility of establishing a County-operated law enforcement agency to secure the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (“FLL”). At the January 20, 2026, Commission workshop, the Commission made clear that the study should also include the law enforcement needs of Port Everglades (“PEV”).
BSO provides law enforcement and fire rescue services at both FLL and PEV. Given the critical nature of these services, a discussion of the public safety needs of FLL and PEV would be incomplete without also discussing fire rescue services. Unlike law enforcement, which the Commission has not previously had under its purview, fire rescue services are provided by BSO at FLL and PEV by contract. If the Commission wishes to consider having day-to-day operational control over public safety at FLL and PEV, the Commission should be informed about both the formation of a law enforcement agency and the restoration of operational control over regional fire rescue services.
Source of Additional Information
Mary Pryde, Chief of Staff, District 4, 954-357-7004
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
None.