King seeks Prince William sheriff seat, aims for experience and cultural competence

Josh King has served as Fairfax Deputy Sheriff for more than 10 years.

He lives in Prince William County and is running for Prince William County Sheriff.

Voters in a statewide Primary Election on June 11th may choose King or Democrat Brian Fields.

The Republican incumbent, Glendell “Glen” Hill is seeking re-election. He’s held the position since 2003.

Independent candidate Rhonda Dickson is also seeking the seat. Both Hill and Dickson will appear on the ballot in the Nov. 5, 2019, General Election.

No stranger to local politics, King’s run at county sheriff comes after two previous unsuccessful campaigns the House of Delegates seat for District 2 in North Stafford and Woodbridge in 2015 and 2017.

Name: Joshua Lavon King

Party: Democrat

Town: Dumfries

Running for: Prince William County Sheriff

Website: king2019.com, Twitter, Facebook

Work: Fairfax County Deputy Sheriff

Education: B.A. in Public Administration from George Mason University

Community Involvement: Josh King is an Iraq War veteran, a deputy sheriff, a leader in his local union (SEIU), and an advocate for people with special needs. He and his wife, Candi, are the proud parents of three children, including a non-verbal teenage daughter with autism.

Josh is a member of the Virginia War Memorial Board, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Association of the United States Army, the Virginia Sheriff Association and the Prince William County NAACP. He previously served on the Prince William Disability Services Board.

Questions and Answers

PL: What are the top three major issues facing the district you wish to represent? 

King: 1) Building public trust between law enforcement and this majority-minority community
2) Better serving community members who have disabilities or who are in a mental health crisis
3) 287(g) partnership with ICE discourages people from reporting a crime, including domestic violence and sexual assault.

PL: What concrete solutions do you propose to address these issues?

King: 1) Recruiting a new generation of diverse officers who reflect the community, then training those officers in cultural competence.
2) Increasing training and creating opportunities for officers to interact with differently-abled children and adults in civilian settings.
3) Ending 287(g) partnership with ICE under the current Sheriff

PL: From your perspective, what is the job description of the office you’re seeking?

King: The Sheriff’s job is not merely to serve civil process or provide courthouse security. The Sheriff should create the model for how law enforcement officers interact with and ensure the safety of ALL residents in our community.

PL: What expertise will you bring to the office?

King: I’ve spent more than a decade as a Deputy Sheriff and served in the military police during the Iraq War, which I believe qualifies me to take on the role of Sheriff. However, as the parent of a non-verbal child with autism and as an advocate for people with special needs, I feel I bring a unique and valuable perspective that will help law enforcement better serve ALL of our community members.

PL: Do you feel that the average citizen is well-informed and understands the workings of local government?

King: I think it’s hard for the average citizen to stay well-informed of local government when national news takes up so much airtime. As Sheriff, I will work to hold as many opportunities for public engagement as I can with the community, including forums, panels and town halls on issues related to law enforcement.

PL: Have you ever made any mistakes in your public life? How have they affected you?

King: In 2017, I lost an election by 12 votes because I didn’t knock on 12 more doors. It reminded me that I need to stay focused on the basics and talk to as many voters as I can. I hope to make it to many of your readers’ doors!

PL: Our readers want leaders in local government. Why should they vote for you?

King: I think voters are ready for a new generation of leadership to step up and take the reins. I’m a war veteran with more than a decade of law enforcement experience, but at 38, I will bring new energy and new ideas to the table that will make our community a safer and more inclusive place.