Chesterfield County Sheriff Dennis Proffit to retire

Citizens, the current Sheriff of Chesterfield County, Virginia is retiring.  Sheriff Dennis Proffit has publicly announced his intentions to retire in early 2014.  Proffit has served this County for many years and I wish him well in his "retired" status.

But, lets look at the facts surrounding the Chesterfield county Sheriff's Office and the entrenched "good ole boy" mentality that some say permeates from its leadership.

Sheriff Proffit was handed the job by his predecessor, Sheriff Williams, who also retired and did not complete his elected term.........I find it strange, the last two Sheriffs in Chesterfield have chosen not to complete their elected terms and "hand" the job over to a friend.  Citizens, I see a pattern here and it is for good reason.

In the history of the United States there has been only one President to resign and not complete his elected term of office.  With that being said, there has been 13 Vice Presidents that went on to become President. Only four doing so by direct election, the other 9 were by Presidential death and the resignation of Richard M. Nixon. The last Vice President to be elected President was in 1988 and prior to that we have to go back to the year 1836.

So I do find it odd......that the last two Sheriff's in Chesterfield County have not completed their elected terms of office and turned the job over to their chosen "VP" or Under sheriff. But, lets explore the reasoning behind this innocuous change of leadership.

First, it gives the "appointed" Sheriff an incumbents advantage in any future election.  On the surface this seems like a typical strategy to keep one political party in office.  Secondly, it is done as to not run afoul of Federal law, most notably the Hatch Act.
The way the Feds articulated it to me was simple. I will not bore the uninformed with the details and just give it layman's terms. The Under sheriff would have to resign from his position and seek the Sheriffs position in an open election.  But, by being appointed Sheriff by the "retiring" Sheriff all parties concerned do an "end run" and skirt the law.

What are the ramifications of this  change in leadership? First, it clearly sends a message to the citizens that the Chesterfield County Sheriff's Office has an entrenched philosophy of cronyism.  Secondly, it is a blatent perversion of the Democratic process. Thirdly, it out right stinks..........

I welcome a change of leadership at the Sheriff's Office. We can always use fresh ideas and eyes when it comes to any agency funded by taxpayer dollars. Especially in these times of declining revenues and rising costs.

If Mr. Lenoard wishes to become the next Sheriff, then do so in the proper manner.  Run in an open election, with other candidates who can debate and present to the citizens of Chesterfield their vision for the Sheriff's Office. Not by being "handed" the position from one of your buddies from the Police Department.

Consequently, I dare Sheriff Proffitt, no, I double dare Sheriff Proffitt to finish his elected term and not hand the job over to one of his cronies as Williams did to you.
We need normality and sanity in this change of leadership, not a perversion of the electoral process.