Watch Jefferson County

Sheriff Candidates Highlight Need for Change as Community Grows

The urgent need to upgrade technology and equipment, improve communication with the public, increase police presence and response time, and seek new or additional funding sources were themes sounded by Democratic and Republican candidates alike at the April 20 forum for Jefferson County sheriff candidates.

There was general recognition by the five candidates of the need to enhance and/or change the way the Sheriff's Department does business to meet the changing needs of a fast-growing community.

Candidates also recognized and highlighted issues of particular concern to the Mountain Community east of the Shenandoah River, including ATV/dirt bike violations, drugs, burglaries, and gang activity.

The forum was held east of the river at the St. Andrews Mountain Community Center under the joint sponsorship of www.WatchJeffersonCounty.Net (WJC) and the Shannondale Safety Patrol (SSP).

Who Was There

Art Hanson, creator of the WJC website, gave opening remarks about the recently revamped online neighborhood watch, which is county wide. Each candidate then made a timed presentation, and a question-and-answer session followed.

About 50 people attended, many of whom reside in the Mountain Community east of the river.

Among the attendees were candidates for various local public offices, including Steve Pace, Patsy Noland, and Greg Lance (county commission) and Ralph Lorenzetti (county prosecutor); several SSP responders, including SSP Chief Nat Hughes; Lee Snyder, president of Jefferson Utilities; and a resident who serves Loudoun County as a sheriff's deputy.

Absent was criticism by presenters or questioners of current Sheriff Everett (Ed) Boober, who was not present, or of the candidates, all of whom spoke in a professional and knowledgeable manner.

ATVs and Dirt Bikes

In response to a question, all candidates acknowledged concern in the Mountain Community about ATV and dirt bike violations and agreed parents hold responsibility.

Shirley supported arresting parents as well as juvenile operators.

Brunswick advocated putting to use two county-owned four-wheelers, which are now locked in a trailer, to gather information and enforce ATV law. Brunswick promised to round up and charge not only violators but also parents who interfere.

Forum Highlights

Following are portions of each candidate's presentation, in the random order in which presentations were made:

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Brian Parrish of Harpers Ferry, (R) 17-years decorated military service:

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Keep residents well informed of crime
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Seek federal funds where available to help make technology investments, e.g., computer-equipped vehicles, that would free up officers' time and enable stronger patrolling presence and faster response times
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Work with schools to address violence, drugs and weapons, and develop prevention ideas with regard to school shootings, especially in light of a second high school opening this year
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Make the property tax system more user-friendly, e.g., make the existing website more common knowledge, allow online payments with capability to print receipts to purchase tags, and open a tax office on Saturdays
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Improve the relationship between the Sheriff's Dept. and citizens, whose assistance to the department is critical

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Bobby Shirley of Kearneysville, (D), former Jefferson County sheriff's deputy:

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Strong stance on criminal activity
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Increase training and tools and put them to use, e.g., to figure out who is committing burglaries in the mountain area
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Streamline or eliminate paperwork, much of which is for statistical purposes that can be addressed in other ways, to free up officers' time to better pursue law enforcement activity
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Hire local people to have them in areas they need to be in, e.g., east of the Shenandoah River, where 1/3 of county residents live; keep two deputies east of the river at all times
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Work with municipalities, which can assist the department in monitoring calls and alarms; exchange/share more information with the public and entities such as pawn shops; “people are the eyes and ears of the community.”

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Jay Watson of Ranson, (R) 35 years of experience in emergency management:

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Strong management and organizational experience
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Emphasize community policing, e.g., work with SSP and neighborhood watch groups and take it to the next level in terms of blending the department with the community; it's easy to commit crime in more secluded areas such as the Mountain Community
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Strategically place officers around the county to improve response times, especially in secluded areas
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Work with municipalities and expand eligibility for deputization
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Pursue alternative means out of the county; predict the next man-made emergency will be in the nation's capital and the county has to be ready; there will be a need to assist everyone on the mountain

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Louis Brunswick of Kearneysville, (D), 24-year veteran of Charles Town police force:

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Seek grants, based on extensive experience with obtaining such funding, to help address funding shortfalls
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Create task force to fight drug-related crime
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Better equip vehicles, continue bicycle patrol in Charles Town, and create motorcycle force to improve response time
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Improve communication with public and other jurisdictions; e.g., if a burglar goes to Loudoun County, communication is needed for tracking
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Improve court security

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Gerald Koogle of Charles Town, (D), 18-year veteran of Frederick City, Md., police force:

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Aggressive on crime; neighborhood watches need to be involved
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Need computers and cameras to enable greater patrol car presence where the crime is
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Study crossing shifts that would enable doubling of police presence in shift overlap periods
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Hold monthly meetings with the public
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Improve training and pay scale for officers
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Start motorcycle division

A couple of photos are attached below.