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There's a new sheriff in town . . .
Norfleet takes aim in Bath
BY CHARLES GARRATT • STAFF WRITER
 | | On an unusually warm and sunny winter Monday, Bath County Sheriff Larry Norfleet is flanked by his two top deputies on the steps of the sheriff's office in Warm Springs. Norfleet took office Jan. 1 after being elected to follow in the role vacated by the retirement of former sheriff Tommy Black, and has been reorganizing and setting priorities for his administration. Maj. Richard Chestnut (left) is the chief deputy and will oversee law enforcement operations and scheduling. Capt. Rick Armstrong is administrative supervisor. (Recorder photo by Charles Garratt) |
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WARM SPRINGS - Sheriff Larry Norfleet officially took office Jan. 1, but he began the process of restructuring and organizing the Bath County Sheriff's Department within weeks of being elected last fall.
Mixed with trips to Richmond for training, a personnel controversy over the E-911 administrator position, and learning the administrative ropes of being the top local law enforcement official, Norfleet has named two experienced deputies to be his top aides and set the department on course to meet his vision of improved law enforcement in Bath County.
Norfleet promoted 17-year veteran Richard Chestnut to major and named him chief deputy. Chestnut serves as sheriff in the absence of Norfleet and handles the law enforcement side of the organization.
Chestnut makes assignments, verifies work is being done, assists with training, and other duties directly related to road deputies. Chestnut, like many of the Bath deputies, has worked his way up through the department starting as a dispatcher then correctional officer, road officer and now chief deputy.
Recently Chestnut said he heard a visitor comment about the sheriff's report in The Recorder. "It's nice to read something about putting cattle back in the fence or unlocking a car" the person said, instead of more serious crime common in other localities.
Chestnut agrees, and sees his role as helping to keep Bath a place where the deputies unlock doors and round up strays while making sure the law is enforced.
On the administrative side, Norfleet turned to experienced administrator Capt. Rick Armstrong. Armstrong is a month shy of 29 years with the department. Under Norfleet, he will be administrative supervisor.
Armstrong will supervise dispatchers, apply for grants, and handle other administrative tasks associated with running a government organization. He brings considerable skill and experience with technology and computers to the job.
"Everybody is doing a marvelous job," Norfleet said of the deputies. The entire staff is "top of the line," he added, joking he hasn't had much sleep lately and couldn't do the job without either of his top aides.
In addition to the administrative deputies, Lt. Noel "Timmy" Dunnagan is working largely as the department investigator. Norfleet had hoped the state compensation board would fund an investigator position for the department, but that doesn't look like it is going to happen this year, he said.
In fact, Norfleet said with the tight state budget, he is going to feel fortunate to maintain level funding from the state. For now, the investigator position will be handled internally by assignment, he said.
Dunnagan is already "doing a very good job," on active investigations, Norfleet says, adding he expects a break in some cases soon and anticipates having indictments from the grand jury later in January.
Sgt. Winifred Smith will continue to work with the drug task force. Jay Bryan retains the rank of sergeant and Robbie Weaver has been promoted to corporal.
Norfleet won the office in a tight race that included two members of the department. Even so, Norfleet said the response from officers and dispatchers has been "overwhelmingly positive." In addition, Norfleet said he feels he has been generally well-received in the community.
With only a week on the job, Norfleet readily admits to having a long way to go and a lot to do. He plans to retain some programs initiated by retired sheriff Charles "Tommy" Black, improve performance on state mandated services such as serving papers, and implement new activities to make the county safer.
Deputies will continue night time business checks begun by Black. New cards are being printed to put under doors. In addition, Norfleet hopes to have a deputy check each school on a daily basis.
Among his campaign promises, Norfleet said he would return the use of radar within the department. He also plans to have deputies certified with a breathalyzer and to calibrate speedometers on department sedans. The four-wheeldrive vehicles are not safe for potential high-speed chases, he noted.
Norfleet doesn't plan to use radar for routine speed enforcement; he'll leave that job to state police officers. But he does want the department to be able to work in trouble area where the department receives complaints.
"We don't take any drunk drivers home," Norfleet said. With deputies trained in using a breathalyzer, he plans to implement DUI check points and other measures to reduce the number of drunk drivers on Bath County roads and charge anyone caught.
"We are fortunate in the county," he said. There aren't as many people driving under the influence in the county as there used to be, Norfleet said. Just the same, "they are killers," he said, and he wants to step up enforcement.
Norfleet will expect all of his deputies to be vigilant in patrols. While not wanting to turn the quiet county into a police state, Norfleet said deputies will be "looking for vioties lations as opposed to overlooking them."
Along with increased criminal investigations, improved traffic enforcement and quicker service of court papers, Norfleet wants to improve court security. The county doesn't own even a hand held metal detector, to his knowledge.
He hopes Armstrong will be able to obtain some grants to improve security in both the district and circuit courts. Norfleet's philosophy for improving court security with no specific incident or threat at hand follows his approach to dealing with traffic violations and the possible increase in crime from transient workers, among others.
Rather than wait and react, Norfleet said he would rather anticipate and plan for a big problem and if it turns out to be a little problem, then everybody is happy.
One challenge Norfleet will face, along with other state and county offices, is money, or rather the lack of it. The paint is peeling in his office; the building lacks central air and suffers from an ancient inefficient furnace.
Norfleet plans to submit a request for money to renovate the building. He is also taking steps to save money and increase revenue.
If the county will adopt the state code as local law, Norfleet said, then people can be charged under the local ordinance and any fines paid would come back to the county rather than going to the state. Norfleet plans to consult with the county attorney and supervisors about the possibility of taking this action.
Also, Norfleet discovered the department has not been applying for or receiving refunds on the taxes paid on motor fuels for department vehicles. As a government agency, the department is exempt from state and federal tax on motor fuels.
However, like other county vehicles, depu must purchase fuel that is already taxed. The department must then apply for refunds. Norfleet said the previous system made this difficult and the refunds were not being obtained. By handling fuel purchases through a central system, Norfleet said the department should receive up to $30,000 in tax refunds each year.
The road hasn't been completely smooth since he took office.
A hurdle involving the E-911 administrator position hung over Norfleet's head since early in December. That issue appears to have been resolved to everyone's satisfaction at the supervisor's meeting Tuesday night.
With four years ahead of him, Norfleet plans on long days and many late nights. Like his deputies, he will work all shifts as necessary.
"My goal is to make the Bath County Sheriff's Department the best in Virginia. We do have a paradise here. That's the way we'd like to keep it," he said.
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