“Although it may happen, I have not been suspended,” Israel told the South Florida Sun Sentinel in a text message.
The months-long parlor game of when Israel might be removed heated up Tuesday with the departure of Gov. Rick Scott and the swearing-in of Gov. Ron DeSantis.
In his inaugural remarks as the new leader of the Sunshine State, DeSantis said, “If a local official is neglectful of required duties, I will remove the official.”
DeSantis hinted Monday that he was weighing possible replacements for Israel.
“As you look at different folks who have been mentioned as people who could potentially be suspended, the goal is not to [be] like, oh this person is politically different,” DeSantis said when asked if he is going to suspend Israel. “If you are going to do it, get somebody in there who is going to do a good job.”
Eight deputies did not immediately rush into the school to confront the gunman after hearing gunshots. Commanders did not take control of the scene. And in 2016, Israel had changed the agency’s policy on active shooters to say deputies “may” go in rather than “shall” pursue a gunman.
In December, the sheriff’s office announced the active-shooter policy was revised and that deputies must immediately eliminate threats from a gunman.
In November, while testifying to the state commission investigating the Parkland shooting, Israel said: “At this point, based on what I know, I don’t have any reason to believe that any members of our agency knew there was an active shooter.”
Police reports show they did.
Israel followed that by saying that the school deputy Scott Peterson “never got on the radio and advised this agency there was an active shooter.”
Audio and transcripts of radio communications show he did.
Israel has maintained that he did nothing that would warrant his suspension.
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/brow ... story.html
The courts have ruled several times the police have no legal obligation to protect people. But the courts allow for worthless elected officials to be fired, for being worthless.
