Former Belle Isle Police Chief John Tegg said, if elected as the next Orange County Sheriff, he would fight hard for that agency’s employees, making sure they get the benefits and recognition they deserve. Tegg, who is running again to unseat current Sheriff Jerry Demings, charges that currently, the morale of the force is very low, as deputies are getting by with less and less, even as Demings is turning back unspent monies to the county.
“…The morale is at one of the lowest points I’ve ever heard of in the Sheriff’s Office, under this administration,” Tegg said in an exclusive interview last week with West Orlando News Online. “The reason is, this sheriff doesn’t seem to stand up for his employees very much. Each year, as there’s money left over in his budget he’s more intent on turning it back into the county to make himself look good.”
Tegg added, if there is waste, it should be cut out, but where there is none, then monies budgeted for expenditures should be spent, and in the process employees ought to be taken care of.
“By increasing their (OCSO employees) morale in that way, you’ll also increase their work product,” he said. “As you well know, happy employees work harder, they take pride in their work, and they get out and work harder for you because they know you are recognizing them, you are rewarding them for a good job; they are getting the money that they need to take care of their families.”
Demings has returned $5.3 million in unspent monies to Orange County government over the past three years.
