Dave Bristow was the voice on the other end of the line when I called.
Beloved to the community, he was the voice of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office and also of Manatee high football.
Bristow, 59, died Sept. 24 at home of a massive heart attack.
Reporters, like myself, as well as citizens phoning in incident reports, knew him as the go-to public information director at the sheriff’s office.
He was professional, ethical and deliberate. He dispensed when appropriate with wit, humor and, sometimes, a bit of sarcasm.
He knew what the media wanted. He distilled traffic accidents, burglaries and other county crimes to sound bites — including the Sabine Musil-Buehler murder investigation that led investigators on numerous digs in Anna Maria — for the past 30 years.
Once when I may have asked one question too many about a rash of boat thefts, Bristow said no problem, he was working for me that day.
With a background in broadcasting at WWSB-TV channel 40, now ABC-TV7, he was well suited and well known for his play-by-play for the Manatee football games on AM radio-930.
He worked for three sheriffs — Charlie Wells, Brad Steube and Rick Wells — from March 1987.
Bradenton Beach Officer John Tsakiri knew him well — they played in a basketball group several times a week at Bethel Baptist Church on 30th Avenue and the Police Athletic League on First Street, both in Bradenton.
“He’ll be missed,” said Tsakiri, adding Bristow typically greeted him ahead of the games, shoes in hand, “Hey, Johnny T.”
MCSO public information officer Randy Warren worked side by side with Bristow for 23 years and recalled his seeming annoyance with reporters on deadline and his conscientious work ethic.
“At the end of the day, it was about accuracy over urgency. And you have a job to do and we have a job to do,” Warren said.
“I’ve known him my whole career in law enforcement,” BBPD Detective Sgt. Lenard Diaz said.
“He was a good guy, very friendly, a good family man, an all-around likable guy.”
Mr. Bristow is survived by wife Lisa; daughters Courtney and Cara; brothers Michael and wife Karyn, Richard and wife Bridget and James and wife Sue.
Memorial donations are welcome to the Manatee Community Foundation, 2820 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton FL 34205, for scholarships to Manatee High School seniors attending the University of Florida.
A memorial service was held Sept. 29.
Bristow’s obituary notice echoed the words he famously said at the end of his radio show: “’Til next time. So long everyone.”