Five months after a triple murder in Tamarac, 10 Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies could be fired following an investigation into their actions before and after the shootings.
The recommended terminations follow the killings of Mary Gingles, her father and a neighbor back on February 16 of this year.
Gingles’ estranged husband, Nathan Gingles, has been charged with murdering all three and kidnapping the couple’s young daughter.
Prior to the murders, Mary Gingles had repeatedly contacted BSO, reporting that she feared for her safety.
After months of investigation, BSO’s professional standards committee has recommended that eight deputies be terminated, and Sheriff Gregory Tony added two additional names.
Sheriff Tony had vowed accountability shortly after the killings. “I’m going to send the fear of God amongst this entire agency to make damn sure we don’t do this again,” he said.
Deputies named in termination recommendation
The recommendation includes five deputies who were on shift when the murders occurred:
• Sergeant Travis Allen
• Deputy Eric Baide
• Deputy Lemar Blackwood
• Deputy Dia Cross
• Deputy Eric Klisiak
Also named are five deputies and a sergeant who were involved with prior calls and investigations regarding the Gingles:
• Sergeant Devoune Williams
• Deputy Daniel Munoz
• Deputy Brittney King
• Deputy Daniel Lovallo
• Deputy Daimeon Nelson
Union Pushback: “We intend to vigorously defend them”
Dan Rakofsky, president of the union representing the deputies, said the recommendation came as a shock and called it an overreaction.
“We believe it’s an overreaction. Basically, these deputies are dedicated public servants, some for over 20 years, who have served the community admirably and I don’t think they got a fair shake in this process. The facts do not support terminations for them and we intend to vigorously defend them,” Rakofsky said.
He pushed back on the suggestion that deputies individually failed in their duties.
“I think mistakes were made and they need to be addressed. But many mistakes are systemic and organizational and not due to the individual ineptitude of some of these deputies,” he said.
What’s next: Hearings and possible arbitration
Though Sheriff Tony made the final call on the ten terminations, the deputies are entitled to a pre-disciplinary hearing.
“The law allows a predetermination hearing, a pre-disciplinary hearing, that they’ll get a chance to tell their story again and appeal, basically to maybe reduce these terminations,” Rakofsky explained.
He said ultimately some of the firings could end up being resolved through arbitration.
“We’re going to be taking any case we need to to arbitration, which would hopefully get their jobs back,” he said.
CBS Miami reached out to BSO and was told, “The investigation remains open and active.”
