To the Editor:

As the former chief of Emergency Services for Isle of Wight County, I was charged with the task of protecting the life and property of Isle of Wight residents during major storms or other large events. One person in the Sheriff’s office stood by my side during those events, and that was Mr. James Pope.

During the storms, Mr. Pope was in the Emergency Operations Center building critical relationships with fellow department heads and state agency representatives. He was designated as a liaison with the Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Office as a deputy coordinator of Emergency Management. Mr. Pope was instrumental in working with local, state and federal official as we planned our responses to events at Surry Nuclear Power plant. He attended training on the state level and often acted on my behalf in my absence.

Each time, Mr. Pope made sound decisions that garnered him the trust and respect of career personnel and our volunteers. It was Mr. Pope who worked with me to make critical decisions during these times of crisis. During large-scale events, such as the annual county fair, James Pope managed every aspect of security for that event. He attended every meeting with county officials, and has for the last several years, always ensured we had a safe county fair. During my tenure with Isle of Wight County, I came to trust James and saw great leadership qualities in times of crisis.

No other person in the sheriff’s office commands a better knowledge of emergency response planning than James. I fully support James Pope for sheriff of Isle of Wight County.

Rusty Chase, Chief of Emergency Services (retired)
Isle of Wight County Department of Emergency Services
Windsor