GOP needs Clark to be their candidate

Republican nominees face long odds in Broward, Florida’s most Democratic county, none more so than in the sheriff ’s race.

In 2016, then-incumbent Sheriff Scott Israel, a Democrat, won with 72.3 percent and a lead of more than 500,000 votes. Israel is running again this year against five other candidates, including today’s incumbent, Sheriff Gregory Tony.

Of the two Republicans seeking their party’s nomination, H. Wayne Clark impresses us as the best prepared to run a good campaign to Nov. 3 and to manage the Broward Sheriff ’s Office should those long odds be beaten.

Clark, a 46-year-old attorney who lives in Plantation, is not a certified law enforcement officer. He could not wear a uniform or make arrests. But that’s not a disqualification either in Florida law or in practice.

If it were a corporation, BSO would be one of the largest in Florida with nearly 6,000 employees and a budget of nearly $1 billion. Law enforcement accounts for slightly less than half of that; the sheriff is also responsible for running four jails, for fire and rescue services in much of the county, for emergency communications, and for staffing the courts with bailiffs.

Though he lacks deep management experience, Clark’s education and corporate law experience are plausible qualifications to oversee so vast an enterprise.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and his law degree from Nova Southeastern University. Prior to college, he served in the Army as a paratrooper and combat engineer. His work today primarily involves advising hotels and businesses on how to best secure their premises.

His opponent in the primary, Casimiro “Cazi” Navarro, 59, lives in Cooper City and is a former BSO deputy more recently employed by the Broward property appraiser’s office. He is not related to a former sheriff of the same surname.

Clark is considerably more thoughtful about the changes in discipline and training that need to be effectuated in the nation’s law enforcement agencies, more conscious of BSO’s management challenges, and more aware of its diverse responsibilities.

To our question, “Why should voters vote for you,” this was his answer:

“The Broward Sheriff ’s Office should be run like any major corporation and the billion-dollar business that it is. Although the public often sees it only as the critical duties patrol deputies perform policing our neighborhoods, BSO is composed of many community support and outreach services wherein law enforcement makes up only a portion. Detention and court security, mental health and addiction, fire and emergency medical response and specialized services are the backbone of BSO supporting our communities in addition to patrol. Such a business entity needs a leader with business acumen who views BSO as an overall ‘public safety agency’ and not simply a patrol effort. I will use my military and business experience to help bring BSO into the times in which we are living. I have extensive experience in budgeting, managing personnel, overseeing administrative functions and making critical decisions.” This was Navarro’s answer: “I am not a politician. I’m a cop that wants to take back the streets from the criminals and also want to keep the residents and visitors of Broward County safe.”

Crime in Broward County has been declining, for the most part. Navarro’s vision of the BSO’s responsibilities is too narrow.

Both candidates submitted questionnaires and you can read them online at sunsentinel.com/endorsements. Only Clark participated in the Sun Sentinel’s virtual interview; Navarro cited a conflict. A video of our conversation with Clark is also available online.

In talking with Clark, we appreciated his view that the sheriff ’s office should not be a partisan position, his support for the right of peaceful protest, and his advocacy of more mental health services for road deputies and jail personnel who “see a lot of awfully bad things.”

“I’m coming to make a change,” he said. “I care about Broward County. I want the world to see how great we are.”

Clark