Editor, Gazette-Journal:

Elections have arrived in Gloucester County; the time to elect a sheriff has cycled again for a four-year period. Our current sheriff has done an admirable job in achieving and maintaining the county in a safe manner and for the betterment of the population. The need for a new jail was evaluated and rejected, saving the taxpayers millions in new debt.

The sheriff and the jail is more than law enforcement in many of the rural counties of Virginia. The sheriff and his department are major players in emergency services, the civil process including the court system, and 911 dispatchers. The sheriff coordinates with the school board and the administration regarding drugs in schools and providing educational programs to combat its usage. The current sheriff has accomplished these tasks without an additional narcotics officer, which has been turned down during the current and past budget cycles.

Crime is down by 25 percent, even though the burglary and break-i...