Below The Beltway

I don’t write here very often about local politics, but there is a primary election coming up on June 12th for the Republican nomination for Prince William County Sheriff that I’ve become interested in.

Background information on the race itself has been covered exceedingly well by Greg Letiecq at Black Velvet Bruce Li, who has provided background information on the race as well as profiles of incumbent Sheriff Glen Hill, and challengers Mike Messier, and Jim Fotis. So, if you’re a Prince William County voter in search of information on the race, you should be pretty well informed by looking at what Greg has written, as well as the comments that followed.

Given all of that, at this point I can’t see any reason why I would vote against the incumbent in this race.

While the functions of the Office of Sheriff differ across Virginia, in Prince William County (as in most of Northern Virginia) it is largely an administrative position. The Sheriff’s Office is in charge of security at the County Courthouse, running the County Jail, and serving legal process. Law enforcement is the job of the Prince William County (or Manassas City and Manassas Park Police Departments). Given that, the Sheriff’s role is largely an administrative one.

In my professional life, I spend a lot of time at the Prince William County Courthouse and I can honestly say that I can’t see any reason why anything needs to change at the Sheriff’s Department at this point. Back in 2003 when Sheriff Hill defeated a long-term incumbent, there was much controversy in surrounding attempts by the then-incumbent to increase the authorty/jurisdiction of the Sheriff’s Department into law enforcement areas that are really the jurisdiction of the County Police. Sheriff Hill ended that practice and concentrated on the duties required of him, rather than making political points. And it seems to have made a difference.

So, for that reason, I will be voting for Glen Hill on June 12th.