What’s the job? Sheriff might seem like a pretty bigwig title, but the duties don’t exactly demand a Wyatt Earp. All a sheriff is required to do is transport prisoners, protect the courts and serve civil papers. The Albemarle sheriff’s office has about 20 deputies to manage, plus volunteers known as "reserves." But sheriffs can opt to do other stuff. The county office runs search and rescue operations, hooks up Alzheimer’s patients with radio transmitters and even operates a bagpipes-and-drums band. Outgoing Sheriff Ed Robb has also had to make tough choices about how to keep the county safe: In 2004, he declared that anti-terrorism was his top priority and put up boulders temporarily in front of the County Office Building to protect it from car bombers. (Come to think of it, maybe Earp has a place here after all.)
 County sheriff candidate Chip Harding says he has more managerial experience. |
Who’s running? Chip Harding on the Republican ticket and Larry Claytor on the Democratic ticket. But don’t let those labels fool you too much. Claytor, an Albemarle County crime scene investigator and the president of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue Squad (CARS), has made previous unsuccessful runs for sheriff, both as a Republican and as an independent. Harding is captain of the Charlottesville Police Department, and though he has strong support from the Republican Party, he also has endorsements from Democratic City Councilors Dave Norris and Julian Taliaferro (neither of whom can vote in the race). Both candidates have local roots: Claytor went to Albemarle High, while Harding hails from Fluvanna County.
What’s at issue? The campaigns have mostly bickered over two issues: what the office should do, and who’s more qualified to do it. While both say the office should keep doing what it’s already doing, Harding thinks the office can take on more by expanding the reserve deputies. One of those ideas is an Internet-crimes task force, the kind that tries to monitor and take down online "predators." Claytor is wary of expansion, and says he wants the focus to stay on the core services. He argues that even volunteers take time to manage, which takes resources away from protecting the court.
 Larry Claytor, making his third bid for sheriff, says he would focus on core services. |
As for qualifications, Harding says he has more managerial experience—he’s risen up the ranks as police officer and he cites extra classes at Darden and the FBI Academy to show his qualifications. Claytor points to his work managing CARS and says that as a lifelong county resident who’s worked in the county sheriff and police offices, he knows Albemarle better.
Endorsement highlights
Claytor: Albemarle Law Enforcement Association, which is similar to a union for police officers; former governor Mark Warner; Governor Tim Kaine; Senator Creigh Deeds; Delegate David Toscano; former delegate Mitch Van Yahres
Harding: Current county Sheriff Ed Robb; Former sheriffs Terry Hawkins and George Bailey; Local philanthropists James and Bruce Murray; city councilors Julian Talliaferro and David Norris; former county police captain Jimmy Higgins; Charlottesville High Principal Kenny Leatherwod
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