Candidates for sheriff and commonwealth’s attorney participated in last Thursday’s Gwynn’s Island Civic League forum.

Incumbent Jack Gill and his challenger Tom Bowen were both present, along with Sheriff Danny Howlett and his opponent, Mark Barrick.

Bowen charged in opening statements that the commonwealth attorney’s office in Mathews is not prosecuting enough cases and that too many offenders are serving no sentences. He said the major enforcement issue in the county is hard drugs and that monthly meetings are needed with the regional task force and the state police to address common problems and use common resources.

Gill countered that his office is a model for commonwealth attorney’s offices across the state and that he has prosecuted 40 felons on 70 felonies over the past year in cases that include felony child abuse, malicious wounding, burglary, firearms violations and other offenses. He said he conducts five to six jury trials a year, has ...