Among the marquee local races on the ballot this election is the race for Palm Beach County Sheriff, in which 20-year incumbent Sheriff Ric Bradshaw is facing off against a former ally turned political opponent in Michael Gauger. Before his retirement, Gauger served as Bradshaw’s chief deputy.
Bradshaw, a Democrat, is seeking his sixth term as sheriff, while Gauger won a hotly contested Republican primary in August to earn the right to take on his former boss.
In a bitterly contested race, Gauger has characterized Bradshaw as a man in ill health who runs a bloated department in need of reform.
“Unlike my opponent, I am in excellent health and in the gym early in the morning five days a week,” Gauger said. “I belong to numerous civic organizations, plus I am a man of faith and active in my church administration. I am committed to the communities I serve and will not falter from my duties representing all communities. Most of all, I will be responsible with the budget and reduce frivolous spending.”
Bradshaw characterizes Gauger as a disgruntled former employee not qualified to serve as sheriff.
“Candidates for office, especially disgruntled individuals, will sometimes say or do anything they can to win,” Bradshaw said. “My opponent has taken one instance that occurred nearly two years ago and made this his entire platform. I am in good health. I feel sharp, alert and strong. My doctor says I am in good health. My family supports my decision to run because they know I am not only the best person, but have the capacity and stamina to do the job.”
MICHAEL GAUGER
Gauger noted that he served as an officer with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office for his entire career and has more than 50 years of law enforcement experience.
“I started as a road patrol deputy and worked my way up through every rank, from detective to chief deputy,” he said. “As chief deputy, I was responsible for assisting in or developing, then launching some of the most successful crime fighting programs in the department, like the Eagle Academy, the Drug Farm, the Animal Cruelty Unit and the Behavioral Health Unit. I’ve served with six sheriffs, and I’ve spent decades protecting you, getting justice for victims and locking up thousands of criminals.”
Gauger said that he chose to run for sheriff because he has seen Bradshaw change over time in ways that concerned him.
“I worked with Bradshaw for 16 years as colonel and then chief deputy. With each passing term, I observed changes in his decision making and with those he listened to,” Gauger said. “The budget was a primary concern, and how he spent public tax dollars on things that did not benefit the taxpayers. He also had an unhealthy relationship with the union, who then had unprecedented influence on transfers, promotions and the dispensing of discipline for misdeeds by employees.”
He was also concerned about how community policing and internal affairs were managed.
“I watched programs that made a difference to those with substance abuse disorders get closed down by Bradshaw, along with an exceptional program for juveniles,” Gauger said. “I decided to run after receiving many calls from community residents and sheriff’s office employees who requested I return and help rebuild the agency.”
Gauger is most proud of the work he did supporting neighborhoods through community policing. “With our partnership-building initiatives, county government joined us and helped rebuild communities that were forgotten,” he said. “In addition to reducing crime by 80 to 90 percent, we worked together to bring about aesthetic changes with trash cleanups, building of sidewalks, placements of streetlights and even building neighborhood parks… These initiatives made a real difference in people’s lives.”
If elected, Gauger said his first priority will be reviewing the PBSO budget.
“I will bring in an inspector general and conduct a forensic audit of the agency and its spending. Accountability will be established across the board, and those with undue influence will be curtailed,” he said. “The Internal Affairs Unit will not be used to hide misdeeds, and a policy of transparency will be established with the citizens, media and county government.”
He will also work to “better train staff and restore accountability.”
“I will establish an attitude of ‘community first in everything we do, not leaving any community behind,” Gauger said. “I will rebuild the programs that made a difference to those with substance abuse disorders and mental health issues, and rebuild the programs that were successful in reducing crime and making our neighborhoods safe.”
As sheriff, Gauger promised to have an open-door policy and be available to all communities. “If you want a sheriff who will represent you and defend the Constitution of the United States and Florida, I am that Sheriff,” he said.
Learn more about Gauger at www.gaugerforsheriff.com.
RIC BRADSHAW
Bradshaw said that he is running for re-election to continue the work necessary to keep Palm Beach County safe.
“I am the most qualified and experienced choice with a proven record of keeping our community safe. I am focused on results that improve safety — new mental health programs that provide needed services to the community; improved technology including body cameras; our ongoing task forces that go after gangs, cyber predators, and human traffickers; and keeping Palm Beach County a leader on homeland security to protect our county and our nation,” Bradshaw said.
He added that under his leadership, the PBSO has been recognized as one of the nation’s premier law enforcement agencies.
“We are the lead agency for homeland security in South Florida, and on issues of mental health, school safety and officer/suspect engagement, we are asked by other agencies to provide training on how the PBSO implements these programs,” Bradshaw said.
He added that as sheriff, he has put an emphasis on innovation, efficiency and accountability. “I’m proud of the technical advancements we’ve made, as well as the training adjustments done that save lives, provide services and catch the bad guys,” Bradshaw said.
He is proud of initiatives such as the addition of a real-time crime center that provides live intelligence to officers on the streets, work that took down illegal pill mills, new training protocols such as “tactical pause” for engaging with suspects, the addition of body cameras and a mental health unit that was one of the first to utilize mental health teams in the field.
Bradshaw is also proud of the PBSO’s foundation providing more than $13 million in programing to support children, seniors and the community.
Bradshaw said that he will continue to focus on technology and customer service.
“We are currently in the process of streamlining the paperwork and reporting process for officers in the field,” he said. “Our new approach, which would be the first of its kind in the state, should reduce the amount of time spent on paperwork and increase the amount of time deputies are in the community.”
He took issue with Gauger’s suggestion that Bradshaw is “an absent sheriff.”
“My opponent has never served as the head of any law enforcement organization and does not understand the responsibilities of the job. My opponent is more focused on what breakfast or lunch I attended versus the effectiveness of the job I am doing,” Bradshaw said. “As sheriff, you cannot physically be everywhere, but with the use of technology, I can be leading on a range of issues that require my attention. The PBSO carries a large burden in overseeing not only local law enforcement efforts, but we are the go-to source for homeland security in South Florida, we work closely with the Secret Service on protection efforts, and we serve as the lead on multiple task forces and intergovernmental agency efforts.”
Bradshaw added that Gauger has “a long history of bad judgment and has shown his inability to conduct himself professionally in stressful situations.”
The incumbent characterized himself as “the most prepared, qualified and experienced choice.”
“Under my leadership, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is one of the nation’s most professional agencies,” Bradshaw said. “I have demonstrated my ability to lead the PBSO and provide the necessary experience to keep us safe.”
Learn more about Bradshaw at www.ricbradshawforsheriff.com.
