New sheriff getting help from his old boss

Anthony Pustizzi is part of Greg Tony’s transition team

The former Coral Springs police chief who helped lead his agency’s aggressive response to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre is now part of the new Broward sheriff ’s transition team.

As deputy chief or chief, Anthony “Tony” Pustizzi was Sheriff Greg Tony’s boss when Tony served as a police officer and sergeant at the Coral Springs police department for almost 12 years beginning in 2005.

Tony was appointed sheriff on Friday by Gov. Ron Desantis, who said Sheriff Scott Israel failed in his response to the tragedy at the Parkland school.

“It wasn’t our jurisdiction, but it was our incident,” Pustizzi has frequently said of the Feb. 14 shooting when his officers stormed past sheriff ’s deputies to enter the school to hunt for the shooter and rescue victims.

Eight sheriff’s deputies did not enter the school despite hearing gunshots. Among them was the school’s resource deputy, who was the only officer already on campus, and stood near the 1200 building for 48 minutes. Seventeen children and staff were killed.

Pustizzi began his career with the Coral Springs Police Department in 1988. He served as a patrol officer until 1993, when he became a detective. He rose through the ranks, becoming a sergeant, a captain in 2002, and deputy chief in 2005 overseeing various departments. He became chief in 2012 and had announced his 2018 retirement in late 2017.

He moved to North Carolina after retirement in April but drove back to Broward overnight to be there when the governor made his announcement Friday. Also in the crowd were Coral Springs police leaders and a union representative, who wanted to support Tony.

Pustizzi said his role will be temporary “to help [Tony] get on his feet.” There is no timetable for how long his assistance will last.