DATE: Friday, November 14, 1997             TAG: 9711130010

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B10  EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Editorial 

                                            LENGTH:   60 lines

PORTSMOUTH SHERIFF RUNNING IN OFFICE

Portsmouth Sheriff Gary W. Waters, whom we endorsed for re-election, is a case study in what's good and bad about elected rather than appointed sheriffs.

The good is obvious in his case. Waters hustles constantly to please the electorate and thus to gain re-election. Among the many services his office provides are a handsome honor guard for special occasions, an anti-drug program for fifth graders in public and private schools, and teams of inmates to beautify the city.

For 16 years, Waters has been in office to serve, and his is one of the most familiar names in Portsmouth. In the recent election against two opponents, he received 60 percent of the vote.

A sheriff appointed to the job might approach public service with less zeal than Waters does.

On the downside, Waters seems to forget that the sheriff's office belongs to the public and should not be used to promote his re-election.

Commonwealth's Attorney Martin Bullock is investigating complaints received by the state Board of Elections that Waters used his office to gain re-election. Specifically, that:

He ran a newspaper ad offering voters rides to polling places and voter information. There's no problem with that so long as such an ad is paid for by the campaign and not the taxpayer, and as long as the rides are in civilian vehicles. Unfortunately, the ad gave a phone number in the sheriff's office. That crossed the line.

Waters said he ran the ad only once, before being advised against it by Bullock. Waters said the offer was open to both Democrats, his party, and Republicans.

His deputies wore political buttons on their uniforms and had bumper stickers on department vehicles. Clearly, that's unacceptable politicization of a public function that should be apolitical.

A fax from his department's machine to the media offered a $100 reward for information on the vandalism of Waters' campaign signs. Waters said that was a mistake that would not be repeated.

His deputies erected campaign signs. Waters said they did it on their own time.

The sheriff's public information officer brought a stack of office brochures as campaign material to a candidate's forum.

In a recent editorial against continuing the constitutional requirement that sheriffs, clerks of court, commissioners of the revenue and city treasurers be elected, we argued that partisan politics has no place in those offices. Furthermore, the skills needed to gain election to those offices may be vastly different from the skills needed to run them.

The wonder is that there are not more election abuses in those offices and more unqualified occupants.

The fifth local office established by the Virginia Constitution is commonwealth's attorney. A case can be made for electing the chief prosecutor, so voters have a direct voice in how crimes are prosecuted in their cities and counties.

But sheriffs should keep at arm's length from partisan politics, and the best way to accomplish that would be to appoint sheriffs, rather than to elect them.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu