SHERIFF DON R. MORELAND

Don R. Moreland was a true “lawman” of that time. Tall, barrel chested, somewhat quiet, and had a reputation throughout the county as fearless. He always had his hair cut in a flat top and had piercing blue eyes which could stare through a man.

Don Moreland was born in Dawson, Georgia, and he served in the U.S. Navy from 1952 to 1956. After his discharge he started his law enforcement career as a patrolman with the Ocala Police Department.  In 1957 Moreland was hired as a Deputy by Sheriff F. L. McGehee. He also earned an A.A. degree from Central Florida Junior College. (Today known as the College of Central Florida)

Martin Stephens, who retired as a Major, remembered the summer day in 1972 when Don Moreland told him that he was going to run against Sheriff Willis. Moreland had been on vacation and Martin went by his house to pick him up because his car was parked at the jail. When Moreland told him that he was going to tell Sheriff Willis of his intentions, Martin told him that he would wait for him to take him back home. Moreland told him that it would be ok and that Sheriff Willis would understand and let him work out his own departure time. Martin said he waited anyway and after about fifteen minutes Moreland came back with his belongings and Martin drove him back home.

In the 1972 Sheriff’s election, Don Moreland defeated Doug Willis, who was trying for his fourth term.  Sheriff Moreland served five consecutive terms (twenty years) as Sheriff, making him the longest-serving Sheriff in the history of Marion County.

There had been a long-standing rumor that one evening when Deputy Don Moreland was on a call at a bar a large man known to the local community as a drunk and a bully challenged Deputy Moreland. He told him that if he didn’t have the badge and the gun on, that he would fight him and beat him. Moreland took off his gun belt and uniform shirt and handed it to someone standing in the bar. When the dust settled, Moreland was the victor, and the man never again challenged a deputy. 

Many years later Deputy Jerry Craig (ret. Major) asked then former Sheriff Moreland about the rumor; The Sheriff gave a brief smile and said: “Yea, and if you had ever tried that – I’d of fired you”

Other than his response, Sheriff Moreland never elaborated on the story.

The election periods then were not as lengthy as they became in later years. Both Moreland and Willis were Democrats. Don Moreland resigned in late June, the campaign season was only about two months and much of the campaigning was done by human contact. Don Moreland took a job as a convenience store clerk, not only did it allow him to feed his young family, but it gave him an opportunity to make many contacts. 

The election was basically decided in the primary with Don Moreland defeating his former boss. He did have to face a Republican, Jim Church, in the general election which be beat handedly. 

Both Towles Bigelow and Sheriff Moreland reflected that Sheriff Willis didn’t campaign much. He felt that the people of Marion County knew him, and he was confident they were satisfied with his performance as Sheriff.

At midnight on January 2, 1973, Don Moreland and his family came to the jail where he was sworn in as Sheriff by Judge Smith. Sheriff Moreland then swore in all his Deputies. Sheriff Moreland said that everyone went home and went to bed. 

Sheriff Moreland initially promoted Calvin Dyles to the rank of Captain and made him his second in command. Calvin unfortunately died of cancer soon after. Jerry Holland Sr. was promoted and assumed the position of Patrol Commander. C. E. (Ed) Carr was hired to manage the Sheriff’s finances and run the administrative areas of the office. Dave Melton, who had been a long-time employee, ran the Jail with the title of Jail Administrator.

Sheriff Moreland was the first Marion County Sheriff to institute written policies. Martin Stephens said that he was charged by the Sheriff to institute written policies and procedures for the agency. Martin said he had never seen a written directive, so he obtained a copy of Pinellas County’s policy book and adapted it into Marion County’s first written directive book. That first book was thirty pages long.  

Sheriff Moreland also initiated a standardized evaluation system to assess the performance of all employees. He also established an awards system to recognize excellent and heroic actions by all agency personnel.  

Sheriff Moreland initiated an aviation program when he obtained two Bell helicopters and hired Don Chapman as pilot. Chapman grew up in Orange Springs, after graduating from North Marion High School, he joined the U. S. Army and became an Army Aviator. He served in Vietnam where he was highly decorated. He earned a Distinguished Flying Cross, Silver Star, Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Air Medal. Don Retired a Captain from the Sheriff’s Office and a Warrant Officer 4 from the Florida National Guard. 

Another program Sheriff Moreland experimented with was having the Deputies own their own patrol cars. The agency would then pay the deputies for the use of the vehicles. Dennis Strow (retired Major, and later police chief of Williston) said that guys who were good mechanics did very well under that program. It did produce a variety of vehicles marked as Marion County Patrol Cars. By the late 1970’s the Sheriff phased out that program and started issuing deputies patrol cars under what is known as the “Indianapolis plan” where a car would be issued to each deputy to drive and care for. 

In the election of 1980 a former employee, Oscar Nix challenged the Sheriff. Sheriff Moreland handedly defeated Nix to be elected to a third term.

Under Sheriff Moreland the agency started issuing firearms, this started around 1984 and the first agency issued side arms were Smith and Wesson model 686, revolvers. (.357) Prior to that each deputy would purchase his own gun. 

Automatic weapons were issued to the deputies in 1988. The first were Smith and Wesson 9mm. The firepower was increased to the .45 caliber Sig after Deputy Randy Scheib responded to a call where a subject attacked him with a machete, and he was forced to shoot the subject, however, after several 9mm rounds were fired the subject was still not subdued.

With the tremendous growth of the county during Moreland’s time in office, there were many changes to the agency.  One of the problems to confront Sheriff Moreland, and one which would follow him most of his tenure, was the lack of space for operations.  Some office space was generated by putting a mobile home outside the main building and using it for the Criminal Investigations Division offices. In 1976 the county purchased and renovated the old Joe Priest AMC dealership garage and remodeled it into a new communications center.  

During Sheriff Moreland’s time in office, he instituted the first de-centralized policing strategy by opening substations throughout the county.  The first was at Salt Springs and was opened in 1976 and the Ocklawaha substation opened in 1978.  Eventually, substations were also opened in Dunnellon, Orange Lake, Silver Springs Shores, State Road 200, and Lynne, with an additional workstation in Marion Oaks.

In 1977, the County Commission bought the old Dixie Lime and Stone Company building on SE 24th Street for office space for the Sheriff’s Office.  The building was refurbished and all operations other than the Jail, Communications and Civil moved into the building.  The jail operations then took over the entire jail building on NW 9th Street.  Some of the areas which had been office space were turned into inmate housing. The new facilities served the agency well for about ten years, but the growth soon caught up again. Various functions such as evidence, and supply had to be moved out to other locations throughout the city.

On November 3, 1980, deputies responded to the Croskey residence. Clarence Croskey pointed a gun at the responding deputy. The SWAT team was called. Deputies Pope and McQuaig attempted to get close to the house with the use of a shield. Croskey fired three shots hitting Deputy Willard Pope in the face and Deputy Mike McQuaig in the leg. Croskey was eventually taken into custody, was found not guilty by reason of insanity, and spent most of the rest of his life in the state mental hospital, where he died in 2012. Deputy Mike McQuaig would continue his career and retire as a captain and later serve as the Chief of Police in Dunnellon. 

Willard Pope was rendered legally blind by the blast to the face. In 1981 Willard was promoted to Sergeant and was performing administrative duties. Although he eventually regained sight in one eye he never again worked as a Patrol Deputy. Willard left the Sheriff’s Office, graduated from FSU School of Law, and was admitted to the Florida Bar. He returned to the Sheriff’s Office twice serving stints as the Sheriff’s Legal Advisor. As of this writing Willard Pope is a sitting Circuit Judge with the 5thJudicial Circuit.

Two other former deputies went on to judicial careers. Investigator Eddie Scott became a Circuit Judge and Deputy Brad King later served eight terms as the 5th judicial Circuit States Attorney and as of the end of his eighth term will be the longest tenured state attorney in the State of Florida

Tim Townley challenged Sheriff Moreland in the 1984 election. Tim was a member of the Townley family from Candler, and he had been a Belleview Police officer. Sheriff Moreland soundly defeated him. Tim’s Sister, Sarah, was married to Ed Dean who would later be Sheriff for three terms. 

On July 10, 1985, an Emergency Admissions Order was issued by Judge Wallace Sturgis for Timothy Lee Woodson at the request of his parents. Due to Woodson being known to possess firearms, the SWAT team was tasked with taking him into custody and delivering him to the mental health facility. As they approached a shed in the back yard where Woodson was staying, he began to fire both shotgun, and pistol at the team. Gary Ernst was in a prone position and was hit in the neck. Bill Watkins was struck in the knee. Other members could not get to Ernst due to Woodson shooting at every movement. Eventually a rescue plan was organized using a vehicle as a shield. As Jerry Combs laid down suppression fire, Gary was rescued, and air lifted to Shands Hospital. Bill was taken to Munroe Memorial Hospital. After pumping tear gas into the shed Woodson finally came out and was taken into custody. Bill Watkins would eventually return to full duty and retire as a Captain. The decision was made to leave the bullet in Gary, which had lodged near his spine. The bullet location caused a problem with his equilibrium, and although Gary worked another twenty years with the agency, retiring as a Lieutenant, he was never able to work Patrol again. 

The jail continued to feel the growth of the county as well during this time.  For a while, the old National Guard Armory at Tuscawilla Park was used to house trusties and other non-violent inmates.  In 1984, the County purchased land on the west side of town to develop a complex for the Sheriff’s Office. This site is still in use today. The first building to break ground was the new jail, which was completed in late 1985.  Also on the site was a full-service garage and radio shop, which was actually completed before the jail.

In 1987 the county commission assigned the county’s Emergency Management responsibilities to the Sheriff. Emergency Management continues under the Office of the Sheriff as of this writing.

In August 1988, the Hammett L. Bowen, Jr. Operations Center was opened on the complex. The idea of dedicating the building to Marion County’s only Medal of Honor Recipient was as a result of a speech Sheriff Moreland was asked to give on Veterans Day.

Hammett L. Bowen was born in LeGrange, Georgia. He grew up in Ocala and graduated from Ocala High School. Hammett was drafted into the Army and sent to Vietnam. 

On June 27, 1969, staff sergeant Bowen, during combat operations, was leading his men when he came under heavy fire. His platoon was ordered to move back, he laid down suppressive fire on the enemy positions while his men continued their movement. An enemy grenade was thrown into his area threatening the lives of several of his men. Without a thought to his own safety, he shouted a warning and threw himself on the grenade absorbing the blast and saving the lives of three of his men. The blast killed SSgt. Bowen instantly. In August of 1974 the Medal of Honor was posthumously awarded to Hammett Bowen.  

After the speech, Hammett Bowen Sr., gave Hammett’s Medal of Honor to Sheriff Moreland for display in the Sheriff’s Office lobby. 

In 2011 another Medal of Honor minted in Hammett’s name surfaced. Extensive investigation revealed that the medal is authentic, however neither the FBI nor the Army can explain why the third Medal was minted. 

During the investigation Shannon Causey, Hammett’s Daughter, contacted MCSO with the desire to display the Medal of Honor she accepted for her father from Vice President Gerald Ford on July 17th, 1974. Currently all three medals are on display in the lobby.  

The authenticity of all three medals was verified by the FBI in 2012. 

Sheriff Moreland would run unopposed in 1988.

On January 1, 1990, Deputy Bill Rutherford was working patrol on afternoon shift. He made a late arrest and was finishing up paperwork at the jail until after midnight. Deputy Rutherford left the jail and was traveling west bound on SR 200. At the intersection of SR 200 and the entrance to Central Florida Community College, a vehicle driven by Danny Flenor crossed into the path of Deputy Rutherford’s vehicle and struck him head on. Deputy Rutherford’s vehicles erupted into flames trapping him inside. Ocala Police Officer Larry Butler attempted to rescue Deputy Rutherford by shielding him from the flames. Officer Butler was unable to free him from the wreck and his injuries were too severe.  Deputy Bill Rutherford was pronounced dead at Munroe Regional Medical Center. Danny Flenor was pronounced dead at the scene, and a female passenger in his vehicle was taken to Munroe. An autopsy revealed that Danny Flenor was intoxicated at the time he took Deputy Rutherford’s life. 

Deputy William Hamilton Rutherford was 23 at the time he was killed. He was survived by his wife, Rose Rutherford, and his parents Bill & Arlene Rutherford.  A white cross remains on the College of Central Florida property at the intersection where Bill died.  

With Sheriff Moreland’s blessing the William “Bill” Rutherford Fraternal Order of Police lodge 145 was formed. This was strictly a fraternal organization and not a bargaining unit. It was still illegal for Deputy Sheriff’s to form a bargaining union in the State of Florida at that time. (Police officers could unionize, but because Deputy Sheriffs were in theory, appointees and not employees of an elected Sheriff, they could not organize and collectively bargain.)

Sheriff Moreland did recognize that times were changing and that his deputies needed some form of protection. He was one of the first Sheriffs to establish a career service act by state law. This provided an established process for disciplinary action and gave the employees protection from political terminations. 

In 1990 the Sheriff changed the markings on the patrol cars, and the agency patch. This was the first change in over twenty years.

Between November 30, 1989, and November 19, 1990, six male bodies were found in Marion, Volusia, Dixie and Citrus Counties. Through some existing networks with other agencies, Investigator Bruce Munster hypothesized that they were related cases. Over the course of the next six months and with a cooperative effort of several agencies the cases were solved. Central Florida had one of the very few documented cases of a female serial killer. Aileen Wuornos was charged and convicted of six murders. She was executed at the Florida State Prison on October 9, 2002. 

The case has been the subject of at least 2 movies, several books, and several television appearances by many of the people who worked on the case. The Wuornos case was not without its internal problems. Some people who were involved were accused of attempting to profit through an alleged movie deal. Sheriff Moreland shut down any possible alleged profiting by MCSO personnel. However, the internal disagreements by those who had once been a great investigative team culminated in the forced resignation of Major Dan Henry.

Sheriff Moreland was a highly respected and well-liked Sheriff, not only by his employees, but also by the public.  During his tenure, the agency saw many changes, as well as many high-profile cases.  Sheriff Moreland had many awards bestowed on him and his agency, but one which has to be one of the most remembered was being awarded national accreditation, not only in law enforcement but also in the jail.  National accreditation was also awarded to the Jail Medical Section, which made our agency one of the few in the country that meet standards in all three areas.  Meeting this challenge was a lot of work and it affected every person in the agency.

In 1988 Sheriff Moreland would face two Republican challengers Ken Ergle and Bill Cauchie. Ken Ergle beat Cauchie in the primary and eventually defeated Moreland in the general election. 

After leaving office, Sheriff Moreland would be appointed U. S. Marshal for the Central District of Florida by President Clinton. He would serve in that capacity for almost nine years.