Adderley, former Lauderdale chief, dismissed from BSO

Frank Adderley, a longtime law enforcement leader, was dismissed from his job at the Broward Sheriff ’s Office on Monday as a newly appointed sheriff takes charge.

Col. Adderley, who was part of suspended Sheriff Scott Israel’s command staff, oversaw community outreach and the civil division as well as courthouse operations and the 911 communications system.

Adderley’s departure is part of a string of changes at BSO that includes the dismissal of three other staff members and the promotions of four sheriff’s veterans. These staff adjustments came Monday and Tuesday, swiftly after Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday announced that Sheriff Gregory Tony will lead the agency and its approximately 5,800 employees.

DeSantis suspended Israel amid criticism over the agency’s response to the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, and Tony has been identifying which changes are needed.

“Since my appointment Friday, I have been meeting with leaders within the Broward Sheriff’s Office and assessing the needs of the agency,” Tony said in a statement Tuesday. The agency is filled with talented personnel “who are eager to move the agency forward,” he said.

Adderley served as Fort Lauderdale police chief before joining the Sheriff’s Office. He worked at Fort Lauderdale police for 36 years and came up through the ranks with Israel, who brought him to the Sheriff’s Office in 2016.

“There are a lot of talented people at BSO,” said Adderley, 57. “It’s a good agency. I have nothing bad to say, and wish the new sheriff much success.”

Adderley said he had not yet met Tony, but has no ill feelings about his situation. He said that he has heard only good things about the new sheriff and that Tony talking with him was probably the least of Tony’s concerns during his first days on the job.

Adderley said he had talked with former Coral Springs Police Chief Tony Pustizzi earlier in the day Monday and felt his job was secure. Pustizzi is Tony’s former boss and is advising him.

But about 3 p.m., General Counsel Ron Gunzburger came into Adderley’s office to tell him that his position was being eliminated, he said.

“Ron said ‘good luck’ and ‘it was good working with you,’ he gave me my termination letter and I signed it,” Adderley said. “It was effective today.”

The termination letter, dated Monday, said Adderley’s services would be “no longer retained.” Both Adderley

and the new sheriff signed the form.

Adderley said that being dismissed from a job was a new experience for him but that he was already looking toward the future.

“People are sending me ideas about what my next move should be,” Adderley said.

In addition to Adderley, the other staff members whose jobs were terminated on Monday and Tuesday were Chief of Staff Lisa Castillo, Community Affairs Manager Wallace Eccleston and Kimberly Andor, an administrative assistant.

The Sheriff ’s Office welcomed promoting four of its agency veterans, saying they “collectively have more than 100 years of service.” They are:

Col. Nichole Anderson, who’ll oversee regional communications, the civil division, court services and community services.

Col. John Hale, who’ll lead the agency’s professional standards and investigations division.

Col. Oscar Llerena, who’ll oversee the agency’s department of law enforcement.

Maj. Steve Robson, who’ll lead the training and development division.

Before this week’s changes, some personnel had previously arranged to leave the agency. Five members of Israel’s command staff turned in paperwork to resign or retire last week.

They were Col. John “Jack” Dale; Undersheriff Steve Kinsey, the second in command at the agency under Israel; Maj. Kevin S. Shults, who was in charge of training; Maj. Chadwick Wagner; and Col. James Polan.

Dale, Kinsey and Shults were among many high-ranking officials Israel hired from his former employer, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.

Adderley