Commissioners call for auditing authority over sheriff—s funds as county questions transparency
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Summary
Several Broward County commissioners urged state legislators to allow local auditing of sheriff office funds, arguing county governments give large sums but lack sufficient oversight of how the money is spent.
Broward County commissioners told state legislators they lack adequate access to detailed accounting of sheriff-office spending and urged changes to permit local audits of funds the county provides to the sheriff.
Vice Mayor Mark Bogan raised the issue directly, saying the county provides more than $800 million a year and cannot audit how those funds are spent. "We give over $800,000,000 a year and we cannot audit 1 penny," he said, and asked the delegation to consider legislation authorizing county-level audits of sheriffs across Florida.
Why it matters: Commissioners said the county contracts large sums for regional law enforcement services and public-safety programs but cannot trace some revenue sources or expenditures. They argued that greater transparency would support better budgeting and public trust.
Details: Speakers cited uncertainty about how much the sheriff receives from state or federal grants, forfeiture proceeds or other sources and said the sheriff has discretion to move funds between accounts. County officials said this opacity complicates budget decisions where the sheriff accounts for a substantial share of general-revenue spending.
What commissioners asked: Local officials asked the delegation to explore statutory changes so counties that provide funds to sheriffs can require audits of how those funds are used. Commissioners framed the change as nonpartisan oversight rather than a political attack on any individual sheriff.
Ending: The delegation acknowledged the concern and said staff and legislators would continue discussions about audit authority and transparency options.