Local Leader Interviews

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Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Candidate Interviews 1 of 4 - Sheriff

by Neil Richard

Editor's Note: Current Sheriff Steve Dempsey is retiring. There are two candidates running for office, T.C. Collins and Chris Giles

Candidate: T. C. Collins


Q: When did you arrive in King George and why did you choose to live here?
A: My first arrival was in the early 1980s. As I began my journey as a Virginia State Police Officer, I returned again in the 2000s and became a full-time resident. I met my wife, Jennifer, here and my three children, Jennell, Tyler, and Jacqueline, all went to school here. I chose to live here because it’s home. King George is a great place to raise a family and to be part of a nurturing community.

Q: What made you want to run for office?
A: The theme of my campaign is a “a call to serve” because I truly believe I was called to this journey. It is by no means the easier route but I feel I must surrender to a higher calling of serving this County that I, along with my family and friends, call home. Although it is not the easy choice, it is a call that I am committed to and excited about.

Q: What do you do in your free time for stress relief or as a hobby?
A: Every day I take a long walk, often with our family dog Roxy, and often in the very early morning. I use this time to reflect on my blessings and center myself. It also helps sets the tone for the coming day. I’ve also spent a lifetime dabbling in woodworking and other creative projects. I’ve created horse drawn hearses, furniture, and even made a Flintstones car out of a golf cart. This is an outlet for me to flourish in aspects that are detail-oriented but also examine bigger picture projects.

Q: How would you promote unity within King George?
A: My vision for unity in King George County stems from my commitment to justice. I want to foster genuine relationships with the community where the Sheriff’s Office is always present, accessible, and fair.

Q: If you received a $1 million grant to use for King George any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why?
A: I have seen King George flourish as new residents and businesses have made this their home. One way I would allocate the money is to prepare our infrastructure for the continuing increase of visitors and new residents. I’m also devoted to investing in our youth through preventative services as well as mentorship programs. This means with the updated Comprehensive Plan and increased traffic with a new bridge, more personnel and equipment but also community services. I’d like to see the School Resource Officers partnering with other community groups and service organizations during the summer to continue to mentor our youth. I am a man of solutions and have proven leadership skills that I feel can be used to build larger coalitions in the community. We can do more as a big group than we can individually.

Campaign Finance Reports



Candidate: Captain Chris Giles


Q: When did you arrive in King George and why did you choose to live here?
A: 1992. I got out of the Marine Corps and worked in Bowling Green for a couple of years before getting hired here in King George. Everyone was friendly and I fell in love with it. I love the ruralness of it. I grew up in rural, upstate New York so it was a perfect fit. It’s close to everything, the mountains, the beach.

Q: What made you want to run for office?
A: Not because I’m a politician. I’m the polar opposite of a politician. My mother-in-law says I have a servant’s heart. I wanted to keep the continuity of the office. I’ve been here for 27 years and saw how Sheriff Dobson and Sheriff Dempsey ran things. There’s crime here in King George but it’s different than the crime in our surrounding area so they must be doing something right.

Q: What do you do in your free time for stress relief or as a hobby?
A: Woodworking but I’m not that good at it. I also enjoy hunting, hiking, sports. Outdoors stuff.

Q: How would you promote unity within King George?
A: Transparency. Passing on information. I would also work with the officers on being more approachable. I’ve challenged my deputies to smile and wave at the car next to them when they make eye contact at a stoplight. I think it’s been helpful.

Q: If you received a $1 million grant to use for King George any way you wanted, what would you do with it and why?
A: Probably donate it back to the County to build and operate a community center for kids. Something to make a better life for youth. Sports. Respect. Something for kids to do so they don’t get into trouble. The YMCA is great, and maybe they have a program like that, but I’d like to see something that doesn’t cost money. A safe haven for kids. I’d also look at getting some extra training and equipment for the deputies.

[2019-10-23 - EDITED] No Campaign Finance Reports Available. The Candidate made scanned versions of the paper copies available on their candidate website here.

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