For much of the past month, the daily newspaper has blasted the leadership and management style of Sheriff David Morgan. They went after him over the K-9 unit and the dog who mistakenly held (not attacked) a woman in trailer park who the dog perceived as a threat to his handler – some bruises, a few teeth marks, no stitches. The PNJ editorial board called it “Morgan’s first serious crisis as leader of the Escambia Sheriff’s Office.”
It looks like the PNJ spoke too soon on calling the K-9 incident the “first serious crisis” and on attacking the leadership of Morgan. The Escambia County Sheriff has handled the real crisis (the murders of the Billings) very well. State Attorney Bill Eddins has commended him for putting the resources into this crime to solve it less than five days.
I have spoken with the reporters and producers from CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX and People magazine. All have given the Sheriff and his PIO team glowing reviews – “professional,” “informative,” “helpful,” etc. It’s difficult imagining Ronnie McNesby doing as good job on Good Morning America, Anderson Cooper or the Today show as Morgan has done.
The Sheriff and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office have represented this area well on the national media stage.