Sheriff’s Race Turns Into War Of Words

By Debbie Williams Reporter

A police association is demanding a public apology, claiming a candidate for sheriff called deputies "inept and uneducated". Sheriff’s Race Turns Into War Of Words

Published: Wed, October 29, 2008 - 5:00 pm Last Updated: Wed, October 29, 2008 - 5:35 pm

Debbie Williams

On the streets every night, sheriff's deputies can't seem to get a handle on the rising crime rate.
"Violent crime is up," says Bain Custer with the Police Benevolent Association, "but that's a trend nationally not just in Escambia County."
Attributed to tough economic times, a candidate for sheriff blames the quality of employees in the sheriff's office for the spike in crime.
In a recent interview, David Morgan is quoted as saying, "It's a culture that's developed at the sheriff's office where we promote from within and you have inept and uneducated law enforcement and that's what we're dealing with in Escambia County."
"For a person who claims to want to lead this organization to make that statement, it's disgusting," says Custer.
Morgan's opponent, and PBA backed candidate Larry Scapecchi called it a horrible statement.
"He continues to paint the inadequacies of the current leadership and the current administration, that is on it's way out the door, towards the employees. It's ludicrous."
Republican David Morgan says the police union has it all wrong. He wasn't talking about the deputies, he was talking about the sheriff. And as for a public apology, that is not going to happen. "They are taking half a soundbite and half truth and again making it into whole cloth," says Morgan. "I do find this somewhat humorous. I would never insult the deputies and their families. Who would do that?"
The problem of higher crime rates will continue to plague the new sheriff. We should know by this time next week, who will have to come up with the solution.