FAYETTEVILLE, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Shannon Morris was officially sworn in as Fayette County Sheriff on Thursday morning.
Morris took the oath of office at the Fayette County Courthouse with Judge Paul M. Blake, Jr. administering the oath.
He was appointed to the position by the Fayette County Commission on Wednesday after being considered with two other applicants.
Morris has been with the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department for multiple years and was serving as Chief Deputy under Sheriff Fridley.
Morris will serve as sheriff for the remainder of former Sheriff Mike Fridley’s term which concludes on January 1.
Fridley resigned and retired from the position last week.
He has accepted a job with the Fayette County Board of Education as Fayette County Schools Security and Safety Officer for the upcoming school year.
Morris spoke with LOOTPRESS following his swearing in and says he’s excited to get to work and get coverage in different parts of the county.
“I’ve been a member of the sheriff’s department for 18 years. I’ve been stationed in every detachment and worked every shift. I’ve served in the K9 unit, the SWAT team, and as a detective and chief deputy. I’ve worn many hats, and now, as sheriff, my main focus is on increasing patrols in the outlying areas of the county, and we’re currently working on that process,” Morris said.
“I don’t feel that these areas are being covered as effectively as they could be. My goal is to allocate more manpower to the outlying regions so that residents see us on patrol and feel safe. That’s my primary focus during my tenure—to increase patrols in these areas.”
“As I mentioned at the county commission meeting, we have one of the best sheriff’s departments in the state, and I want to continue building on that success.”
“We should never settle for the norm; we should always strive to do better in both our daily operations and long-term goals. I want to keep raising the bar, learning from the sheriffs who came before me, and continue pushing forward as we approach the next administration next year.”
He also announced that he will appoint Jess McMullen as his Chief Deputy on August 19th.
Jess McMullen is currently running as a Republican for sheriff and is unopposed.
