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Deerfield Beach directs city attorney and manager to seek Broward Sheriff's Office's best police and fire contract offer
Summary
The Deerfield Beach City Commission voted unanimously Oct. 21 to authorize the city attorney and city manager to negotiate police and fire service contracts with the Broward Sheriff's Office and return what the city labels BSO's "best offer" by December, with an intended contract start date of April 1, 2026.
The Deerfield Beach City Commission voted unanimously Oct. 21 to direct the city attorney and city manager to negotiate police and fire service contracts with the Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) and return what the city described as BSO’s best offer by December, with a proposed contract commencement date of April 1, 2026.
Vice Mayor Ben Preston moved the directive; Commissioner Michael Shanetzky seconded the motion. In a roll-call vote Mayor Todd Drozky, Vice Mayor Preston, Commissioner Hudak, Commissioner Plaut and Commissioner Shanetzky all voted yes.
The commission discussion and public testimony that preceded the motion focused on two questions: whether the city had fully pursued negotiations since earlier budget and contract exchanges with BSO, and how to balance pay and staffing pressures in BSO’s proposals with the city’s broader budget priorities. Vice Mayor Preston framed the motion as a way to secure “the best offer” from BSO for the commission to evaluate alongside a pending independent study of local public-safety options due later this year.
Major (Broward Sheriff’s Office) emphasized the pay pressures BSO faces and asked the commission to consider competitive wages for deputies and firefighters. “Your first responders … deserve a fair wage,” the Major told the commission during public comment. The city attorney reminded the commission that the city currently is operating under transition provisions from the prior contract that require the city to pay actual costs during the transition period, and that contract timing and cost mechanics would be part of the negotiations.
Commissioners and several public speakers stressed transparency and finality: commissioners asked that the city attorney and city manager negotiate together, return a single best offer from BSO, and provide that offer before the commission completes its review of the independent study. The motion instructed staff to negotiate contracts with a planned effective date of April 1, 2026, for a 4½-year term to align Deerfield Beach’s schedule with neighboring contract cities; the city attorney confirmed he had previously received draft 4½-year proposals.
What happens next: the city attorney and city manager were directed to negotiate with BSO and bring back BSO’s best offer by December for the commission’s review. The commission did not adopt any contract on Oct. 21; it voted only to authorize the negotiation and return of an offer for later consideration.
Why it matters: The directive sets a concrete timetable and scope for negotiations over police and fire services for Deerfield Beach. The outcome could affect the city’s budget and staffing patterns and will inform upcoming public workshops and the commission’s final decision about whether to continue contracting with BSO or pursue another path.
Sources and next steps: The city attorney and city manager will report back with the negotiated offer. The commission also is awaiting an independent study of public-safety options; commissioners said they intend to weigh the negotiated offer against that study before any final vote.
