Walter Reid Clark: Legendary sheriff of Broward County

Walter Reid Clark was the colorful and controversial sheriff of Broward County from 1933 until 1950. The son of poor dirt farmers, Clark won a surprising upset victory in the 1932 election and began serving the first of five consecutive terms in office. Noted for his personal generosity toward residents, Clark became politically powerful in the state and used his influence to provide economic benefits for the county. He also permitted illegal gambling because it provided revenue and jobs for residents. After the Second World War, many residents wanted illegal gambling to end. Clark was suspended from office by Governor Fuller Warren after a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee investigation exposed his ownership of the Broward Novelty Company, which allegedly owned slot machines and administrated an illegal lottery.