OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The Marion County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 at their meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, to rename the Marion County Sheriff’s Operations Complex. It will be changed to the Don R. Moreland Criminal Justice Complex, in honor of the longest-serving sheriff in Marion County’s history.

Former Sheriff Moreland died in early November of last year.

Prescience and purpose 

Sheriff Moreland was a visionary and innovator, and it was through his leadership that the Marion County’s Sheriff’s Office underwent an incredible transformation. Moreland, who served for 20 years, taking office in Jan. 1973, was the first Marion County Sheriff to institute written policies. He also initiated a standardized evaluation system to assess the performance of all employees and established an awards system to recognize excellent and heroic actions by all agency personnel, according to Marion County staff.

Sheriff Moreland instituted an aviation program when he obtained two Bell helicopters and experimented with the concept of deputies owning their own patrol cars. By the late 197’s, the Sheriff had phased out the latter program and started issuing deputies patrol cars under what is known as the “Indianapolis plan,” wherein a car would be issued to each deputy to drive and care for. Under Sheriff Moreland, the agency started issuing firearms, which started around 1984; prior to that, each deputy would have to purchase his own gun, according to Marion County staff.

Influence and impact

The request to rename the Marion County Sheriff’s Office Operations Complex came to Marion County Administrator Monir Bouyounes from retired Judge John Futch, in addition to Bouyounes receiving several calls and letters from members in the community who were in support of renaming the complex. Moreland passed away Nov. 6, 2025, at age 90.

Futch shared with the county commission and the audience the impact and contributions Sheriff Don R. Moreland had on and made to the community.

Moreland, a U.S. Navy veteran, served longer as Marion County Sheriff than anyone in history–five consecutive terms for a total of 20 years in office, beginning his career in law enforcement as a member of the Ocala Police Department in 1956. Moreland’s daughter Ann Moreland was also in attendance, and she was the impetus behind the request to bring it before the Marion County Board of County Commissioners, said Futch.

“It started with a breakfast group that Sheriff Moreland started many years ago, and upon my retirement, some 13 years ago, they kindly asked me to join,” said Futch. “I think they figured I might pick up the tab every now and then, and I have over the years. I have also made some extremely long-term friends who had been employees of Don’s over the years.”

Moreland worked for the OPD for about 18 months and went on to serve as a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy for about 15 years, said Futch. Moreland was elected Marion County Sheriff in 1972, where he served with distinction, honor and integrity for 20 years, said Futch. Subsequent to that, he became the United States Marshal for the Middle District of Florida, having been appointed by United States President Bill Clinton. All told, Moreland served the people of this area as a law enforcement officer for more than 44 years.

“I don’t know of anybody who has a longer career in law enforcement,” said Futch. “He was the impetus behind the county acquiring the land that we are seeking to have named in his honor. I recall as a young lawyer in Ocala going to interview clients, and later as a prosecutor with prospective witnesses in the old Marion County Jail, which I believe is the county records building off of 10th Ave. We interviewed clients sitting in a barber’s chair. That jail was filled to capacity. Sheriff Moreland recognized that and lit a fire under the county commission, and the new jail complex was begun in the early to mid-80s.”

The building was full the minute it was moved into, said Futch.

“Fortunately, he had the foresight to apply with the appropriate authorities to get permission to double bunk, and built the facility accordingly,” said Futch.

Initiatives in action 

Firsts under Moreland’s administration include the first female patrol deputy, Patty Lumpkin; the first female sergeant, Lois Carey; the first Black sergeant and lieutenant, Stacy Dickson; first Black captain, Fred Cyprian, first SWAT team; first underwater recovery team; first computers in the agency; first field force team; first D.A.R.E. program; first negotiations team; first crime scene/evidence unit; and first school resource officer program.

“Those are just some of the many blessings that he did for Marion County to solve crimes, to bring criminals to justice, and I believe that legacy still lives on in the people he hired and the people he trained and the people he mentored,” said Marion County Commission Chair Carl Zalak, III. “That’s why people don’t mess around in Marion County. We appreciate that.”

Futch described Moreland as an absolute legend in law enforcement in Marion County. He was a visionary, creating the complex to be named in his honor. Don Moreland would’ve celebrated his 91st birthday on Jan. 19.

“We’ve kind of come full circle, from 1956, when we began and today, when I hope you’ll honor him, by naming this complex after him,” said Futch.

Any cost involved creating signage for the renaming of the complex will be privately borne, said Futch.

County administrator Bouyounes had a conversation with Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods, who was in full support of the renaming of the complex.

“We will be coordinating with [Woods] to design, to see where the sign would be placed and how it would be erected on that complex,” said Bouyounes. “And we will continue coordinating with Judge Futch in that regard, especially in regard to the funding.”

An emotional Ann Moreland was invited up to the podium, and she was choked with emotion, as to what the renaming of the complex meant to her and her family.

“Thank you just doesn’t seem like enough,” said Moreland. “As Judge Futch said, he would have been 91 yesterday. I’m just so incredibly humbled and honored. Thank you for all of your hard work on all of this. I know dad, he would be [more overcome with emotion] than I am right now. Thank you.”