THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 2, 1995 TAG: 9510310075
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY MARC DAVIS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
BEN ROGERSON WAS in a hospital bed, in a bathrobe, recovering from minor surgery when the phone call came.
It was good news: The Norfolk Civitan Club had just chosen him Outstanding City Employee of 1972, from among 5,800 city workers.
The honor surprised Rogerson, a police lieutenant. He didn't think many people knew him.
``I have been the very opposite of what politicians usually are,'' Rogerson says. ``I preferred not to be well-known, and I am not well-known.''
He hopes that changes - fast.
Although Rogerson, now 70, is not politically known, he has lots of friends. Many are from his 32 years in the Norfolk Police Department. He retired 17 years ago as a captain.
Others know him as the former security chief at Newport News Shipbuilding. His tenure included a nasty 87-day employee strike in which he trained a special 65-man squad to protect the shipyard.
Still others know Rogerson for the private security and investigative business he has run for 14 years, Rogerson & Snively. From his office in Virginia Beach, Rogerson investigates insurance claims and occasional divorces, and advises businesses in security matters.
The job takes him to courthouses all over Virginia - about 50, at last count.
That experience, Rogerson says, gives him an edge in the court clerk's race.
``There isn't that much controversy (in the race) other than the qualifications of the people running. It's a service-oriented business,'' Rogerson says.
Unfortunately, Rogerson acknowledges, he is not well-known in politics. For now, his biggest support comes from the Greater Tidewater Central Labor Council, which asked him to run.
``Obviously I'd like to have more open support than I've had, but I'm not blaming anyone. I've not had much exposure,'' Rogerson says. ``I'm not going to be a hidden candidate. There are a lot of people in the city who know me. I've been in public service all my life.''
Among the candidates, Rogerson has the most experience managing employees. He led 225 at the shipyard. On the police force, 56 detectives reported to him.
He discounts W. Randy Wright's experience on the City Council.
``Because you've been on a city council, how does that relate to the job of operating a (clerk's) business?'' Rogerson asks. ``I don't know what his qualifications are. I can't equate that to qualifications, how there is even any parallel whatsoever.''
Like the other candidates, Rogerson says he entered the race, in part, in response to Wright's candidacy. He says Democratic leaders ``are trying to reward Randy, to give him a job'' but that Wright is not qualified.
``Randy Wright has not done a whole lot for this city since he's been a council member,'' Rogerson says.
Rogerson recites a partial list of his accomplishments: He headed a police investigation of the Fire Department in 1978. He led the Police Department's Internal Affairs Unit when it began in 1974. He was one of five retired officers named last year by Gov. George Allen to investigate the shooting death of a Newport News police officer in a botched sting operation.
If elected, Rogerson says, he will not purge the clerk's office because it already runs very well. The Democrats' humiliation of current clerk, Bill Ryan, ``was one of the things that inspired me to run,'' Rogerson says.
Although he has no political party behind him, Rogerson says he is not in the race as a spoiler.
``Certainly I expect to win,'' Rogerson says. ``I'm not running just for sport.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by JIM WALKER
KEYWORDS: CANDIDATE ELECTION COURT CLERK NORFOLK by CNB