ISLE OF WIGHT—A third candidate has emerged in the race for Isle of Wight County sheriff.

Hampton Police Lt. James “Jim” Crotts, an Isle of Wight resident, is running as an independent.

Others running include incumbent Sheriff C.W. “Charlie” Phelps, who is seeking a seventh four-year term, and Rick Gaddis, head of the Newport News Police Homicide Unit.

The job pays $80,209 annually.

Crotts, 50, grew up in Hampton and graduated from Bethel High School. He and his wife, Bessie, moved their family from Hampton to Isle of Wight in August 2008.

Crotts has been employed by the City of Hampton Public Safety Department for 29 years.

He became a patrolman with the Hampton Police Division in 1988. Crotts was promoted to corporal in 1996, sergeant in 2001 and lieutenant in 2004.

Crotts received the division’s Life Saving Award in 1990, Officer of the Year from the American Legion in 1995 and was named the Veterans of Foreign Wars Officer of the Year in 2000.

Crotts was also received the Golden Gravel Top Cop Award in 2003 from the Hampton Roads Crime Line. In addition, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Award in 2001 and 2007 for outstanding service to the City of Hampton.