Captain Jemeriah Cooper {Courtesy Broward Sheriff’s Office}
Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony has demoted the executive officer of BSO’s Tamarac command following the agency’s failures in the lead-up to a triple murder in the city ten days ago.
Lt. Jemeriah Cooper, who took charge of the Tamarac District in 2023, was demoted from the rank of captain and replaced by newly promoted Capt. Emmanuel “Manny” Koutsofios, who most recently served as executive officer of BSO’s North Lauderdale District.
Cooper’s demotion becomes effective at 5 p.m. Wednesday, according to BSO. An agency spokesperson said Koutsofios has been the acting district captain for Tamarac since Feb. 21.
In another shakeup in leadership, Christopher De Giovanni – captain of BSO’s Cooper City District since 2020 – has been moved to the Tamarac command and promoted to major.
Cooper’s demotion is the latest fallout for deputies in the wake of the fatal shootings of three city residents Feb. 16. Mary Gingles, 34; her father, David Ponzer, 64; and her neighbor, Andrew Ferrin, 36, were fatally shot by her estranged husband, Nathan Gingles, 43, who also kidnapped his four-year-old daughter during the killing spree in Tamarac, detectives said. The child was unhurt, and Gingles has been charged in the murders.
Eight BSO deputies, including a lieutenant and two sergeants, have been suspended with pay in connection with the case. The most recent suspension was that of Dep. Raul Ortiz, who was placed on administrative investigative leave with pay on Feb. 24, according to BSO.
Koutsofios, who began his career with BSO in 2004 in the agency’s Department of Detention, has worked in a host of roles with BSO, including road patrol supervisor for Oakland Park and Dania Beach and head of BSO’s Canine Unit.
In 2022, Koutsofios was promoted to lieutenant and assigned to the Office of the Majors as the county’s Watch Commander. In November 2022, he was assigned to the North Lauderdale district and installed as its executive officer.
“I want to say thank you, first and foremost, for welcoming me into the city of Tamarac,” Koutsofios told Tamarac city commission members at their meeting Wednesday afternoon. “It’s overwhelming how amazing you guys have been in welcoming me to the city.”
Neither Koutsofios nor De Giovanni referenced the recent triple murder in their remarks to commissioners Wednesday.
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- Kevin Deutsch is an award-winning journalist and author of two nonfiction books. He covers general assignment news and Jewish community issues for Talk Media. He has also worked as a staff writer at The Miami Times, the Rio Grande SUN, the New York Daily News, Newsday, The Miami Herald, The Palm Beach Post, The Riverdale Press, and Bronx Justice News.
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