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Sheriff Announces Plan To Reduce Escambia Gun Related Crimes
January 14, 2011
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan has announced the development of a strategic plan in hopes of reducing the number of gun related crimes within the county.
Morgan plans to employ methods geared toward the reduction of gun crimes, armed robberies, drive-by-shootings and homicides. A combination of tactics will be used from public service announcements to conducting directed law enforcement operations in an effort to reduce gun related violence.
Morgan named four major areas that will guide the sheriff’s office in combating this issue:
- Public awareness and community outreach
- Community policing
- Law enforcement operations
- Prosecution and incarceration
Morgan detailed specific steps in his strategic plan that the Sheriff’s Office will take to accomplish his goals.
The department plans “to produce public service announcements informing citizens about the growing trend in gun related violence; stress the need for citizen involvement and the importance of community outreach programs; and positively impact and inspire the community’s youth and wants to partner with the community to create innovative and proactive crime-prevention initiatives,” according to a Sheriff’s Office news release.
The sheriff has also implemented a philosophy of intelligence-led policing; wants to assure the exchange of information with other law-enforcement agencies and the community and effectively use investigative resources to identify and prosecute offenders.
“The credit for this initiative goes to Chief Deputy Larry Aiken. It’s a great plan of which we expect measurable results,” Morgan said.
Phase one of the plan was put into place with a manpower increase in the problem oriented police (POP) and tactical anti-crime (TAC) units. Morgan also reassigned some investigators to work nights to improve their response times to violent crimes.
“Historically our investigators work day shifts and are called out after hours,” said Sheriff’s spokesperson Chris Welborn. “Having some investigators assigned to night shifts will drastically cut the response time.”
Sheriff Morgan also initiated a pilot program entitled “Desk to Road” where sworn officers with desk jobs and administrative duties will be required to patrol one day a week. “The ‘Desk to Road’ program is a 60 day pilot program which will allow me, and others assigned to the office, to go out and work with our TAC Unit and patrol deputies,” said Welborn.
Pictured top: Deputy John Moore shakes hands with Nikki Kight in the Lakeview Avenue area of Cantonment. Moore serves as a community oriented policing program office for the Cantonment area. Northescambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
20 Responses to “Sheriff Announces Plan To Reduce Escambia Gun Related Crimes”
I’ve met Deputy Jon Moore (Pictured above) and found him to be very knowledgeable about Community Oriented Policing. This is a concept that has worked well in other cities and counties throughout the country and provides a positive interaction between the public and law enforcement. Sheriff Morgan we need more deputies like him.
Responding to the Sheriff. You moved 5 people out of Investigations just prior to this meeting. We all kept the emails of the transfers. As far as having 4 less Captains than {this is history now] the prior admin’, I guess you do if you’re not counting the Commanders and what ever you’re calling the Attorney this week. You may need to check again to see if you have a flex person in the North end. I think you’ll find that you don’t. For those of you that don’t know what a Flex person is, it’s some one that fills in for someone who is off since you only have two per shift up there due to your low crime rate. Instead of keeping it low, I guess we’ll wait till it goes up before we give you the Officers needed to cover that much area. Let’s all wait and see if the topic doesn’t come up about having to cover that 4th year for those 20 Officers hired last year. I’m sure the BCC agreed to raise your budget by that amount 4 years from now. As far as not reading this web site. William is the most informed person I know in the business. He doesn’t spit out his opinions like your old friend/supporter of Ricks Blog does in all of his articles. William writes the facts as he receives them and allows us as Citizens to post our opinions and thoughts. That’s what we call in the south’ “Freedom of Speech”. If you choose not to read this paper due to our opinions/thoughts, I can assure you that you will not be missed. I would think that your 1st Chief, Mr Chavers would be able to shed a little light on promises being made prior to you being elected. Keep up the good work William and always know that we as citizens appreciate what you do for us without receiving any compensation .
I apologize to Sheriff Morgan if I gave any offense. That was not my intention.
I wasn’t trying to spread any rumors or lies – I was writing in _support_ of the Sheriff’s initiative, and I only had a question about where the proper avenue is to notify ECSO about criminal activity in our neighborhood.
As I said previously, I looked at the website and couldn’t find where a citizen could anonynously report the presence of drug activity, like a crack house or a meth lab. I have a real concern about our community here, but I don’t want to have retribution from these outlaws – like having my house burnt down around us while my wife and I are sleeping. I really don’t know where to turn, and I was asking William to help ask about it.
If I gave offense, I do apologize, that was not my intention.
REGARDING:
“I haven’t the time nor the inclination to respond to ‘opinions, or lies, or rumors.’ ”
Still, this would have been a prime time to respond to “Just An Old Soldier”’s question when he wrote: “I am puzzled by the lack of a simple avenue to report possible crimes within our own community. Am I missing something here? I’ve looked at the ESCO website and there seems no way to work this issue out there.”
Please try to not decide he was out to get you. It looks like a legitimate question. I know he could just phone you at the number you gave (436-9512), but this way everybody could read the answer and you could continue your work.
David for everybody named David
Thanks, William! Much appreciated.
To “Citizen”:
Your allegations are so rife with misinformation (and outright lies), it reminds me of a recent ‘rumor’ of why someone is already campaigning; allegedly I promised a relative a promotion if they supported me in the campaign that I didn’t give them. Complete nonsense.
Sorry, didn’t move anyone around before that town hall meeting. Actually, we informed those present that the assignments would not be made as soon as we’d like due to the large budget reductions. However they were scheduled for later in the year. And they have occured. Whether you choose to believe it or not. And ‘no’ your not short (of personnel) up there, and you all have the second lowest crime rate in Escambia County. Only Dist 2 (Pensacola Beach and most of the rest of it is in the city), is lower.
We are using personnel from COPS and flex for the TAC units. No disruption of normal shifts. And yes, in the 4th year we (the county) must pick up the cost ($1.3M). Prior to accepting the grant the BOCC agreed to this arrangement.
We have continued normal promotions to Sgt and Lt., even after contending with the budget shortfalls. We first take care of the rank and file. We are still 4 Capts short of the number in the previous administration. No, it is not “left over money,’ they are unfilled positions, included in our authorized strength (agreement with BOCC).
Your gossip, ‘Citizen,’ is why I have virtually stopped reading NorthEscambia.com, and most assuredly have virtually stopped responding.
I haven’t the time nor the inclination to respond to ‘opinions, or lies, or rumors.’
‘Citizens’ know the channels they may access to acquire information (truth) if they are concerned about any specific issue. Your whole intent and purpose is to smear.
David Morgan, Sheriff
Escambia County, FL
436-9512
Do we have and adaquate resources to put all this into place? There is a lot of crime here in the area to combat. Any effort is better than no at all.
To “Just An Old Soldier” –
I’m not sure what the correct answer is to your question. Crime Stoppers might be the correct avenue for an anonymous report.
I will pose your exact question to the proper people on Tuesday (since Monday’s a holiday) and let you know what I find out.
William
I support Sheriff Morgan’s initiative to improve community based intel of criminal activity, however, there seems to be no mechanism to report (or perhaps it’s well hidden) the presence of drug activity, or even the presence of a crackhouse or meth lab without filing a criminal complaint and then identifying yourself to the criminals for future retribution.
I am puzzled by the lack of a simple avenue to report possible crimes within our own community. Am I missing something here? I’ve looked at the ESCO website and there seems no way to work this issue out there. Any help, William?
I’m a little confused. The ECSD ask for help from the communities. Then when you call them with info they have no body to talk with you. When you have late night trouble they come out and tell you there is nothing they can do. Well just fix it your self. When they lock up all the honest tax payer inforsing the law, there pay check will stop. And the crime will stop, because the honest tax payer will not let the criminals live to testifiy against them in court.
@Splat
More would support if we actually believed the hype, but unfortunately some of us see it for what it is…just a bunch of hot air.
David Morgan like most other politicians is concerned with two things, public perception and re-election!
Morgan is robbing Peter to pay Paul. If you’ll remember, during his 1st year in Office, he moved a bunch of people around just before a Town Hall meeting at Fran’s. He made it appear that he had put more Officers in the north end when he didn’t which was one of his campaign promises. If you check today, they’re short up there and there’s no help in sight. He came up with this big plan for a TAC unit and now the Desk to Patrol, but still says he’s short on people and trying to supplement Patrol with these people. Keep in mind that it was just last year he hired 20 new Officers under a 4 year grant. 3 out of those 4 years the salaries are paid through a grant, but the 4th year has to be paid by him. Wanna bet he’ll be begging for money then too. I don’t think he lies, he just has no idea what he’s doing. None of the Deputies have had a raise other than a select few over the last 4 years other than those that were given one by him. Now he’s just promoted two more Captains with I’m sure he’ll say money that was left over from some other position. Maybe he is lying?? If you can think like him, maybe you can understand his thoughts. This man is a joke.
REGARDING:
“Prosecution and incarceration as we see has been in place for several hundred years. They are no deterrent to crime.”
Certainly they are a deterrent. They don’t stop ALL crime because all criminals are so stupid that they gamble on either getting away with their crimes or else don’t care, but they stop SOME crime. For example, every time I contemplate stealing an armored car, I reconsider because I don’t want to have to hire a lawyer to defend me nor do I want to share a cell with Big Bubba. I also don’t want to be locked in a building which could burn up with me in it, as happened to a neighbor of mine a few years back.
Surely there are others out there who do not commit crimes because they don’t want to be punished for them either now or in the hereafter.
David for letting Big Bubba
room with somebody else
sounds good to me. wish more would support instead of criticize.
Well, I appreciate the efforts of the Sheriff’s office to TRY to do something. Seems to me Sheriff Morgan has two options, sit back and let ‘er ride, or do the best he can with what he has to work with. I’m all for trying new stuff, enhancing old stuff, moving stuff around….well, you get the picture. True, it may not help, but we won’t know until we try. Just because Ronnie Mac couldn’t make something work as well as he wanted, doesn’t mean Sheriff Morgan can’t.
Criminal Justice 101 – Anyone can take the course at Pensacola State College.
This will only take away from the northend officers. We have already lost many and we are not on the priority list. Check the numbers William. They could have hired another two officers, but instead promoted some to captain. Big raises but no more deputies.
This I gotta see. Ronnie mac had tried the Investigator on the night shift tactic. It might have lasted 2 months, tops. The Investigators did not like it and it fizzled out. The Sheriff’s Office already has a Community policing section, so that unit will not have much of an impact. Prosecution and incarceration as we see has been inplace for several hundred years. They are no deterrent to crime. So that leaves us with the Law Enforcement Operations end of this. My guess is that this is just smoke and mirrors. Every Sheriff since Johnson has attempted some form of this new plan. Bottom line is every citizen knows that gun related violence is up, and so a public service announcement is a waste of time. Must be getting closer to election time. My suggestion to the citizens is, take a firearms training class, get a concealed weapons permit, arm yourselves, and when you go out to the mall, or Walmart be aware of your surroundings. There are not enough Police officers out there to protect you. Only the ones that will respond to you to take your report. The officers do a good job but they are not enough of them.
Another creative strategy from the ECSO !
Sounds like a plan. Hope it works.