THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 29, 1994 TAG: 9410290207
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
As a Norfolk police officer, H.T. ``Tom'' Marshall has risked his life to save others.
Years later, Marshall, a Republican running for Pasquotank County sheriff, is risking his political life to serve others.
Marshall, 47, hopes to fill the office held for the past 24 years by Democrat Davis M. Sawyer. Marshall faces Democrat Randy Cartwright, 33, a former member of the defunct Northeast Regional Drug Task Force now serving on the Elizabeth City auxiliary police force.
If Marshall, a business consultant, had his druthers, the sheriff's race would be non-partisan. ``Politics should not be a factor in it,'' he said.
But political affiliations, as well as candidates' stands on various issues, are considered by voters.
Cartwright said that one of the toughest challenges he'd face if elected would be reducing the illegal drug trade.
``Drugs are probably the biggest problem in the county right now,'' the Weeksville native said. ``It's not just Pasquotank County. It's all over North Carolina and throughout the country. . . .
``With the drug task force folding, the job of drug enforcement is going to fall back to the county law enforcement.''
One of the first things Cartwright would like to do, if elected, is make the sheriff's department a stronger presence in the community by having more deputies on patrol day and night.
Marshall said he would try to better use the staff he'd inherit.
``By making the people in the communities more involved, I think we can better protect them with the deputies we have,'' he said. Community improvements would come from programs on self-defense, firearms safety and crime prevention.
Cartwright, who is married and two months ago celebrated the birth of his first child, believes being an area native with almost 10 years in law enforcement distinguishes him from his opponent.
``I've made law enforcement my career, and I know what's going on in this area,'' the 1979 Northeastern High School graduate said.
Marshall worked for the Norfolk police department in the 1970s and has lived in the Elizabeth City area for about a dozen years.
Married and the father of five, Marshall always had family in the area and has divided his time between here and Hampton Roads much of his life.
KEYWORDS: CANDIDATE SHERIFF'S RACE ELECTION NORTH CAROLINA by CNB