Before a crowd of about 300 Tuesday night, including just about every high ranking government and law enforcement/court official in Suffolk, Sheriff Raleigh Isaacs was sworn in as the 72nd president of the Virginia State Sheriff’s Association.

Isaacs, Suffolk’s sheriff since 1994, said he would work to increase membership in the association, which serves as a professional trade organization representing sheriffs and their deputies by providing a forum for the exchange of professional ideas and information.

&uot;I’m honored and humbled and pledge to uphold the standards of excellence of this organization,&uot; Isaacs said after being sworn in at the annual convention at the Waterside Marriott in Norfolk. &uot;I’m looking forward to a very challenging year. We have some good things on the horizon.&uot;

Isaacs said that increasing membership would allow the organization to sustain its programs and pet projects such as the Special Olympics, law enforcement training and scholarships.

Gov. Mark Warner was the keynote speaker for the dinner. Warner, who has four months left in his term, praised the association as an effective voice for law enforcement in Virginia and thanked the sheriffs for helping rally support for his budget in 2004.

&uot;When I asked you to step up and do something that was hard, you did it,&uot; Warner said. &uot;I hope you feel that I’ve been there for you and most importantly, not just during campaign season.&uot;

Candidates to replace Warner – Republican Jerry Kilgore, Democrat Tim Kaine and Independent Russell Potts – had addressed the convention earlier.

Warner, perhaps in a preview of his rumored campaign for president in 2008, said that while he opposes high taxes there are certain core services government needs to provide and challenged those in attendance to hold candidate’s feet to the fire when it comes to campaign promises.

&uot;All kinds of candidates have been coming here telling you what they are going to do…until it comes time to pay for it,&uot; Warner said. &uot;It’s time for a little bit of truth-telling at every level of government.&uot;

Among Suffolkians present at the event were: Judge Arthur Kelsey, Judge Westbrook Parker, Judge Alfreda Talton-Harris, Ward Eason, Mayor Bobby Ralph, Council members Joseph Barlow, Charles Brown, Curtis Milteer and Calvin Jones, City Manager Steve Herbert, Commonwealth’s Attorney C. Phillips Ferguson, Treasurer Ron Williams, Commissioner of the Revenue Thomas Hazelwood, and Circuit Court Clerk Randy Carter.

andy.prutsok@suffolknewsherald.com