Deerfield Beach installs new vice mayor as city pushes ahead with police, fire transition amid camera program pause

Michael Hudek took the oath of office at the start of the Deerfield Beach City Commission meeting on March 31, returning to the dais as the newly installed vice mayor.

Mayor Todd Drosski opened the meeting by urging civility after a disruptive incident at a prior session, saying the city must “do this respectfully” and avoid carrying disagreements into violence. Shortly afterward the commission recessed into a ceremonial swearing‑in for Hudek.

Outgoing Vice Mayor Preston used his final remarks at the dais to defend several recent votes and outline the commission’s rationale for moving away from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office (BSO). Preston said the decision was based on “fiscal responsibility and local control,” citing that BSO costs reached tens of millions in recent years and that the city’s chief financial officer estimates an in‑house policing and fire service would cost roughly the same amount but provide more local oversight.

The meeting shifted to a lengthy public‑safety update from Sean Gladadio, director of the Office of Public Safety. Gladadio described a multi‑pronged transition plan: the city has posted for transitional police and fire chief positions and expects to onboard those leaders and their teams this spring; it has hired a transition manager, John Bukata; and it plans a series of community engagement town halls starting April 16 so residents can shape operational priorities.

Gladadio also addressed the city’s school‑safety camera program (referred to in the presentation as the Red Speed initiative). He said the program has been temporarily suspended while staff confirm the city has the necessary state access permissions under its originating‑agency identifier; the suspension affects automated processing of camera‑issued notices while staff resolve procedural and access issues. Gladadio presented distribution figures for the program, saying the initiative’s collections have been routed to state and local accounts and the program operator, and that staff will work with the state to restore camera operations as soon as the city has verified access and internal capacity to process citations.

Commissioners pressed Gladadio and staff on transition logistics and recent BSO staffing data. Commissioners said the city was being billed at premium rates for deputies assigned to Deerfield Beach while BSO reported vacancies and the county sometimes reassigns personnel elsewhere. The director said staff have requested a comprehensive capital inventory from BSO and are pursuing mutual‑aid and procurement steps needed to stand up municipal operations. He and the city attorney said the Red Speed program could be restarted under the city’s own ORI once state clearances are confirmed.

Multiple commissioners emphasized that public safety remains the commission’s top priority and urged staff to continue pursuing federal and state grant opportunities to offset equipment and startup costs. The city manager and public‑safety director said they are pursuing relevant grants and working with the city’s lobbying partners and state contacts to identify funding and training resources.

The meeting closed with a commitment from administration to return with detailed options for the public‑safety transition and to continue the town‑hall series so residents can provide direct input into the new municipal police and fire departments.