Nick Navarro

Nicholas G. Navarro (November 11, 1929 – September 28, 2011) was a Cuban-American businessman, born in Jaruco, Cuba, in 1929.[1] He served as sheriff of Broward County, Florida, from 1985 to 1993.

Nick Navarro
Sheriff of Broward County, Florida
In office
1985–1993
Preceded byGeorge Brescher
Succeeded byRon Cochran
Personal details
Political partyRepublican

He won election for sheriff in 1984. During Navarro's tenure the Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) approximately doubled, to 3,000 personnel, and its budget increased from $75 million to $200 million. Contracts were added for the BSO to provide law enforcement services to three Broward cities—Dania Beach, Tamarac, and Deerfield Beach.[2]

Navarro was defeated in the 1993 election.

COPS

In 1989, Navarro allowed Fox Television crews to ride along with BSO deputies for several months, taping the material which would become the inaugural season of the television show COPS.[3]

2 Live Crew controversy

In 1989, Florida Governor Bob Martinez ordered state prosecutors to determine whether Miami-area rappers 2 Live Crew's album As Nasty As They Wanna Be violated Florida obscenity laws.[4] Navarro proceeded to arrest local record store owners[5] for selling the album and members of the rap group after a concert.[6] All arrested parties were eventually acquitted.[4] The judge who heard the case reprimanded the sheriff for "the unconstitutional act of prior restraint" because his detectives warned record owners that they might be arrested if they sold the rap album, even though it had not yet been found legally obscene.[7]

On Banned in the USA, their follow-up album, 2 Live Crew included a song entitled "Fuck Martinez", which also includes multiple repetitions of the phrase "Fuck Navarro". The group found two other men with the same names, and had them sign releases, as they thought that this action would make it impossible for Martinez, or Navarro, to sue them.[8]

The publicity generated by the case brought brisk sales of As Nasty As They Wanna Be, and contributed to Navarro's defeat in the next election.

Post elected-office

In 1993, Navarro founded Navarro Security Group Ltd, a private security service company.[9] On September 28, 2011, he died from complications of cancer, aged 81.[10]

References
  1. "Nick Navarro". Fred Hunters - Hollywood (funeral home). 2011. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  2. The History of the Broward Sheriff's Office Archived 2015-07-10 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Kenneth R. Clark. "Don't Expect 'Dirty Harry' On 'cops'". Archived from the original on 2012-04-06. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  4. Clary, Mike (21 October 1990). "Jurors Acquit 2 Live Crew in Obscenity Case". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  5. ""Sheriff Navarro arrests record store owners"". Archived from the original on 2016-11-18. Retrieved 2017-02-11.
  6. Rimer, Sara (17 October 1990). "Obscenity or Art? Trial on Rap Lyrics Opens (Published 1990)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  7. ""Navarro admits judge reprimanded him"". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2015-10-11.
  8. Lyrics from "Banned in the USA" Archived 2009-09-25 at the Wayback Machine
  9. "Navarro Security Website". Archived from the original on 2010-10-16. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
  10. "Former Broward Sheriff Nick Navarro Dead". WFOR-TV. September 28, 2011. Archived from the original on September 30, 2011. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
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