DELIVER TO: Postal Patron Mechanicsville, VA 23111
Vol. 34, No. 41 | Richmond Suburban Newspapers | February 14, 2018
STOPS AT EVERY HOME IN TOWN
Sheriff: pride, partners create successful office By Melody Kinser Managing Editor
MECHANICSVILLE – Pride and partners – those are the two words Col. David R. Hines said best describe the operations of the Hanover County Sheriff ’s Office. Hines will be presenting his budget proposal today during the regular meeting of the Hanover County Board of Supervisors. Last Wednesday, he talked about what makes his department unique and special in how they serve the county.
Citizen contact is especially important to the sheriff, as his office logged over 350,000 in the last year. There were two, as he called them, “founded” complaints, in 2017. To counter that, the sheriff said, “We had over 500 letters of commendation for excellent service. This is not something that happens in one year. Over the last four years we’ve had over 1.2 million citizen contacts; almost 3,000 letters of commendation and seven founded citizen complaints.
“Recruiting for law enforcement has just become a challenge, and it’s not just a challenge for us; it’s a challenge metrowide, statewide and nationwide.” COL. DAVID R. HINES Sheriff, Hanover County
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Two more makeup days complete time Staff Report news@mechlocal.com
Photo courtesy of Sgt. James R. Cooper
Col. David R. Hines, sheriff of Hanover County, is scheduled to address the Hanover County Board of Supervisors today with his budget presentation.
You could not give gifts away free on a street corner and get those kinds of numbers.” An ongoing issue in the Sheriff ’s Office has been filling vacant positions. There are eight open as recruitment continues. Eleven recruits are undergoing training in the Hanover County Criminal Justice Academy. “Recruiting for law enforce-
ment has become a challenge, and it’s not just a challenge for us; it’s a challenge metrowide, statewide and nationwide,” Hines said. “Honestly, we’re in better shape than most agencies because of the public we serve. Our communities like their law enforcement and our law enforcement loves work-
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instruction time, Whitley said. Ten inclement weather days were built into the 2017ASHLAND – Hanover 2018 HCPS school calendar County Public Schools stu“to recapture lost instructional dents will be going “full” days time and meet state requireon Monday and Thursday, Feb. ments. Some of these days are 19 and 22, to designated as make up for ‘banked’ days the recent To make up for lost where a makeclosings due classroom time due up day is not to inclement to inclement weather, required, while weather. students in Hanover others are desThe first County Public Schools ignated as makeup day will be going full days makeup days,” was Thursday, on Feb. 19 and 22. he added. Feb. 8, which Whitley had been said the first scheduled for four inclement weather days professional development. are “banked” days that do not Chris R. Whitley, public require a makeup day. Days information officer, said the five, six and seven are desigremaining days were originally nated as makeup days. for a student and teacher holiThe remaining inclement day, now an “A” day, Feb. 19, weather days (eight, nine and and an early closing for parent10) are designated as banked teacher conferences, Feb. 22. days that do not require a Inclement weather in makeup day. January prompted a loss of
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