Broward Sheriff’s Office boosts security at airport, port and courthouses
Tighter security at FLL, Port Everglades and Broward’s courthouses will likely mean longer lines and more visible deputies for travelers, jurors and attorneys.
Broward Sheriff’s Office has tightened security at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Port Everglades and Broward County’s courthouses, a change that will be felt first in longer waits at entrances and more visible law-enforcement presence at some of the county’s busiest public facilities. The move reaches places where travelers, jurors, lawyers and court employees move through daily routines that depend on fast access.
BSO said it provides day-to-day security and operations for the Main Judicial Complex and the West, North and South satellite courthouses, along with protection for critical infrastructure that includes FLL, Port Everglades, the county’s waterways and parts of the Everglades. Court Services also covers the 540 Building, and the agency says the main courthouse system includes 90 judges, 11 general magistrates and about 1,500 criminal-justice employees.
The security push comes as Broward continues to weigh whether BSO should keep policing the airport or whether the county should create its own airport police department. Broward County commissioners held a workshop in May 2026 on that idea, while the county says BSO has patrolled FLL since 1996. The airport handled 32.2 million passengers in 2025, and Broward County says the broader airport system, including North Perry Airport, typically serves more than 36 million travelers each year.
Port Everglades sits at the center of the same protection effort. The port generates about $48.3 billion in economic activity and supports nearly 300,000 jobs throughout Florida, making it one of the county’s most important pieces of infrastructure. Any added security there can ripple well beyond the terminals and cargo gates, affecting cruise passengers, workers, freight movement and the businesses that depend on the port’s steady traffic.
Courthouse security has also been framed explicitly as a violence-prevention issue. The 17th Judicial Circuit has said the risk of violence against judges, jurors, witnesses, lawyers, court staff and the public requires security regulations at the Broward County Courthouse and satellite locations. The circuit has also said Broward’s court system is among the busiest in Florida, with more than 67,000 defendants processed in 2017.
This article was produced by Prism’s automated news system from verified source data, official records, and press releases, then run through automated quality and moderation checks before publishing. The system is built and supervised by the people who set the standards it runs under. Read our full AI policy.
Did this article answer your question?
