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A Halifax County deputy says he will be a sheriff for the people of Charlotte County with an open line of communication and transparency.

Lifelong Charlotte County resident Weldon Robert Wilmoth Jr. announced his bid for Sheriff last week, noting that he would be a “working sheriff, not a desk sheriff.” At the same time, serving equal and fair justice for the citizens of Charlotte County.

From day one, Wilmoth says he wants to ensure teachers’ safety while ensuring parents’ of their childrens safety while attending school.

I plan to have deputies doing daily walks throughout the schools, more visibility during after-school activities (currently lacking), and more drug sweeps at the Middle and High Schools,” Wilmoth said.

According to Wilmoth, better community policing while patrolling will also be implemented. The candidate said he plans to do this by going into establishments and meeting the owners or asking if they have any issues or concerns. “The citizens and business owners should be heard,” Wilmoth said.

Wilmoth said he wants to Introduce zone areas in the county and with that, the response time will be cut down tremendously.

His plan includes:

Three-zone areas with 24-hour coverage, consisting of North Zone (1 Deputy), Central Zone (2 Deputies), and South Zone (1 Deputy). Deputies will be assigned to a zone area to ensure the county is covered and response time is reduced. Additionally, Zone 2 deputies who are off from a call will back up Zone 1 and Zone 3 if needed. “Also, there will be coverage in area stores when doing late-night closings for better security, while doing business checks after 11 p.m. and making sure that all calls for service are responded to promptly, fair and equally,” Wilmoth said. “We will also start the process of getting the jail staff road certified; if an emergency arises, the jail staff can be on call to help assist them.”

Wilmoth said proactive drug enforcement would be established and taken seriously by implementing more proactive patrols in verified drug areas or high crime areas.

“Drugs, money, and guns are transported by vehicles,” Wilmoth said. “With the help of the Virginia State Police, we do saturation patrols on crackdowns. My promise to the citizens of Charlotte County is not to let the county be a haven for drug dealing and manufacturing of drugs. We do have a drug problem in Charlotte County and our kids need to feel that they will be safe.”

When it comes to experience, Wilmoth brings 17 years of experience as a certified Law Enforcement Officer; within those years, he has been Chief of Police, Project Manager of the DMV Highway Safety Grant and grant writer, and a preparer for police budgets.

Wilmoth has been married to his wife Kellie for 23 years and he has a daughter and two stepsons.