Former reporter finds new challenges in familiar surroundings

Megan Stewart

Sean Morgan may no longer sport his iconic ponytail or spend his entire day writing, but said he fits in well as the Sweet Home Police Department’s community services officer and evidence technician.

Just a few weeks into the job, the now-former longtime reporter for The New Era is pursuing new duties that include working with Neighborhood Watch groups and volunteers, helping to organize events, managing evidence and property, writing press releases, assisting with publicity and crime prevention, and working with various in-town and out-of-town organizations to find solutions for the east county homelessness problem.

While his responsibilities are different, along with his work hours – now a regular 9 to 5 instead of an unpredictable 24/7 – Morgan said he still “gets paid to talk people” and to “listen and learn.” He also knows everyone on staff really, really well.

During his 24½ years at The New Era, Morgan said he interviewed almost everyone in the entire Police Department building at least once.

He’s sat on the opposite side of his current desk numerous times. Morgan estimates only three current staff members have worked there longer than he’s lived in Sweet Home.

Everyone else joined the department after he first began showing up at the doors with pencil and notebook in hand. He even remembers when current Police Chief Jeff Lynn, now his boss, started at the department as an officer.

Due to that familiarity with the police department and its staff, Morgan described his transition as “very natural.”

He initially found out about the job opportunity while interviewing his predecessor, Gina Riley, about her retirement. Morgan had worked with her for 10 years and grew curious about the now-open position. When he found the job posting online, he applied and was selected, a decision he said he’s “very thankful for.”

In a press release, Morgan said:

“I’ve done almost everything you can do in the newspaper business and covered just about everything, from basketball games and fluffy animals to murder and politics. For me, personally, this was something new and interesting where I could use my skills and contribute to another worthy cause. It’s also the fun part of the Police Department.”

One of those worthy causes is working to find solutions for the homelessness crisis in Sweet Home, which the department just recently added to the position’s list of responsibilities.

Morgan said he’s “cautiously optimistic about the efforts to deal with homelessness in this town.” He acknowledged that Sweet Home is “never going to fix” the problem entirely. However, he’s excited to know the police department and partnered organizations like SHEM are at least working to “deal with the symptoms” and help “those who live on the streets to find whatever” support “they need.”

He also said he’s “happy to see excitement around the Neighborhood Watch programs,” which he hopes will push people to form new and strengthen pre-existing ones to maintain Sweet Home’s low crime rates.

He still has a lot of training to do in the future, but he said so far it’s been “exciting and fun to work with resources in and out of Sweet Home.” He said the volunteers are “awesome.”

Despite “being a ponytail at heart,” Morgan emphasized how “lucky he is to have this job.”

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