Comments on: DOJ Presents Settlement In Escambia Jail Investigation

By: Yepp

Yepp — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 01:57:09 +0000

Well said Cinndee!!

By: Cinndee

Cinndee — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 20:52:20 +0000

First off, this is strictly dealing with the JAIL and not the Sheriff’s Office! Nowhere in the document did it mention corrections needing to be made with the sheriff’s office. So with that in mind the JAIL was in the sheriff’s budget before Oct. 1st. The majority of the document was to address Mental Health. I AGREE that the JAIL is NOT a Mental Hospital. However, DOJ wants it to be. If you will remember a few years ago, local mental health facilities were closed. Also about the same time, Judges were being made aware of the problem. Judges should also bare responsibility for the Mental Health. They do have the power to have them sent to the State Mental Health Hospital. Very few are sent each year, I mean very few! Most mental health inmates are in jail with very low bonds $100 to $1,000. But family members do not bail them out, why? I assume it could be because they want a break. Or could it be it is the only way to get MENTAL help? You decide… (The only time you will hear from a family member is if something bad was to happen to them while in jail.. i.e. Death. Then they will look for the $$$$$. Does this sound familiar?) In my humble opinion I do believe ALL the inmates in jail are mental cases to some extent. I am sure Gene has an answer to fix the problems and will try to manipulate DOJ proposed agreement. It is after all Gene’s Jail and his money. I see my taxes going up in the very near future.

By: john

john — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 17:43:18 +0000

We have the finest workers working at the jail, maybe not all of them but the majority is outstanding at their job and out in society. Sadly we have not gotten enough of the “good ole boys” from working the streets and harassing non offenders, and letting the murders and drug dealers stay on the street. Lets all pray for those serving time and those who risk their life every day to protect and SERVE.

By: Yepp

Yepp — Sat, 21 Dec 2013 04:52:40 +0000

Citizen, Cheif Aiken doesn’t even work there anymore so if you’re going to TRY to act like you know something, please make sure you have all the correct information.

By: Randy

Randy — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 23:38:22 +0000

Why not invest in discussion of instituting part time or relief positions to fill a few vacancies. These positions would have no benefits ie medical, dental leave or FRS retirement. I am sure there are several certified Corrections Officers in the area that would be happy to work a flexible schedule. The sheriff had a simliar program and used it to augment staff shortages. Just my two cents…

By: bob

bob — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 22:42:29 +0000

Dear citizen,

he saved 2 million by taking the medical in house and provided more services. The study was based on the years 2004 -2008. Morgan was notified of the investigation the day after he was sworn in. Did some still happen after yes. The BOCC made him cut his budget so what do you expect. They can’t find people that can pass a background check that would take starting pay 31K per year. Would you take that to have inmates throw urine on you? How hard are you going to try and break up two inmates when you make that little. The Sheriff has a job to lock up crooks. The county can figure how to pay for their responsibility. The jail is the county’s responsibility according to state statue. Problem is they are so incompetent to usually run it. You rate a pants on fire for your comment.

By: David Craig

David Craig — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 21:06:12 +0000

Perhaps you’d like to read the DOJ Report upon which the settlement is based. DOJ praised the Sheriff for substantial reforms. What’s needed is money to solve the remaining issues. Funding that had been requested by the Sheriff and denied by the Commissioners. Here is a link to the report: http://www.escambiaso.com/escambiaso/wp-content/galleries/ECJ-FL-signed-pdf-5-21-2013.pdf It is also available at http://www.escambiaso.com under Latest News on the home page.

By: ok then

ok then — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 19:30:13 +0000

Yea BPD a fine job. The Sheriff tells his brass to fill the jail up. This meaning that he is still not acting as a leader but like a 4 year old who was told to go to his room. The brass has the deputies pick up persons that have mental issues and need to be taken to Lakeview. Then he has this Tact. Team that has 2 deputies per car. This is great but….the county needs more patrol deputies. This could be done if these deputies were split up to fill the vacancies. Does not take a Brain surgeon to figue this out.

By: BPD

BPD — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 17:53:43 +0000

Sheriff Morgan and his Deputies do a fine job. You can’t do what you don’t have the funds for. Now the ECSO can concentrate on clearing the street trash. The County Commissioners can figure out where and how to stack em up.

By: citizen

citizen — Fri, 20 Dec 2013 14:10:50 +0000

You know, what I find so funny is DOJ came in just prior to the election in 2008. All of these issues have been just that, issues since 2008. Since Morgan has been in Office, he’s allowed one of his three Chiefs [Aiken] to take positions from the jail and use those positions to fill deputy positions on the road. He went to his own medical staff and still didn’t run it any better than the last Sheriff. Now he’s trying to deflect the same issues on the BOCC. He seems to have a problem with taking his part of the blame. It’s always some one else fault that something hasn’t been done right.