Broward Sheriffs Office

Veteran Broward Sheriff's Airport Deputy Arrested on Grand Theft Charge

Deputy Michael Spencer, 49, was arrested just before 1 a.m. while he was working his shift at the airport, BSO officials said

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A veteran Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy assigned to work at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport was arrested Friday on a grand theft charge, officials said. Deputy Michael Spencer, 49, was arrested just before 1 a.m. while he was working his shift at the airport, BSO officials said.

A veteran Broward Sheriff's Office deputy assigned to work at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport was arrested Friday on a grand theft charge, officials said.

Deputy Michael Spencer, 49, was arrested just before 1 a.m. while he was working his shift at the airport, BSO officials said.

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Spencer, who has been with BSO since 2001, faces one count each of grand theft and committing a third-degree felony with a weapon following an undercover "integrity check" operation by BSO's Public Corruption Unit.

Michael Spencer
Broward Sheriff's Office
Michael Spencer

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Officials said an agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives posed as a traveler who found an unattended purse in the airport Wednesday.

The agent turned the purse containing $1,664 in cash over to Spencer while he was on duty and in uniform in his marked BSO vehicle, officials said.

The purse contained decoy items to give the appearance that a traveler had lost it, officials said.

Spencer made no attempts through the rest of his shift that ended at 5 a.m. on Thursday to turn the purse in, officials said.

Officials said Spencer discarded the purse and its contents but the kept the cash and later spent about $200 of it.

When Spencer reported to work Thursday night and still didn't turn the money or purse in, he was arrested, authorities said.

Broward Sheriff's Deputy Michael Spencer appears in bond court.

Detectives found the rest of the cash inside Spencer's BSO vehicle, officials said.

Spencer has been suspended without pay. He appeared in court Friday where he was given pre-trial release.

"Public safety is an honorable profession and requires people to serve with the highest ethical standards. We will continue to police ourselves, hold employees accountable for their actions and arrest them when they engage in illegal activity," Sheriff Gregory Tony said in a statement.

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