The end of an era

This year has seen a lot of hailing and fair welling in county government. Perhaps the most significant change is the retirement of James L. Agnew, who has served as Sheriff of Goochland County for 28 years, on January 1. After 45 years in jobs that required a uniform—United States Coast Guard, game warden, and Goochland Sheriff—he is ready for civilian clothes.

Agnew sought elected office while working as a game warden. “I decided that I wanted to do something more challenging, “a little bit bigger,” he recalled. Running for the open Goochland Sheriff’s job was risky. “I had a wife and two small children to support. I was told that I had to take a leave of absence to campaign, and if I lost, would be transferred to another area.”

James L. Agnew Goochland Sheriff 1992-2020

He ran with the encouragement and support of friends. “That campaign was grueling. I probably knocked on most of the doors in the county. There were only about 13,000 people here then, you couldn’t do that today,” he said of the county’s burgeoning population, currently estimated around 23,000. “People told me I didn’t have a chance (of being elected) and asked why I was running.”

After he won, Agnew hoped that the governing board, which was not “entirely thrilled to see me elected,” would realize that he was “coming from the right place and support me for the good of Goochland. They did not welcome me with open arms.  No one helped me when I took over (as sheriff) and for months there were those who actively sought to undermine my actions.”

Goochland was a very different place then. “When I first took office there were no stoplights. If you wanted to buy a toothbrush after 5 p.m. you had to drive well into Henrico County. There was no Short Pump as we know it today. It was very quiet and very rural,” he recalled. “There was a lot less traffic, before Rt. 288 was built. Now Rt. 6 has become an alternate to I64.”

Communications were limited back then too. In 1992, “there were pay phones at Sandy Hook Road, Georges Tavern and a few other places around the county. That was how you checked in, and we got along fine. We thought it was a big deal when we got “bag phones”. Today radios, cell phones, and computers in vehicles connect deputies and dispatch.

Agnew said he is most proud of the men and women who served in the Goochland County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) over the years.  “They work hard and are proud of what they do,” he said. “I would put them up against any other law enforcement agency any day. We are an agency of generalists, each with their own specialty, who bring their strengths together to solve problems.”

He contended that Goochland County is currently “in in a very good place.  I’m proud to have had a small part in that.” Thanks to governing and schools board that work together for the good of the citizens. The schools, he said are also better than they ever have been. John Budesky is the best county administrator I’ve ever worked with. He is a straight shooter who works with you. Dr. Raley is the best superintendent.”

Some of the stranger incidents Agnew encountered as sheriff—he admitted that there were quite a few over the years—occurred in the relatively recent past. These included apprehending a pedophile under the Maidens Bridge who had threatened boys in Goochland; the fatal mauling of a young woman by her dogs; and the New Zealand man who made his way to Goochland to harm a local teenager but was shot by her mother as he forced his way into their home.  

During an impromptu roast on December 3, Raley, said that working with “fellow Wahoo” Agnew has been a pleasure. “Sometimes, schools and law enforcement don’t see things eye to eye because we live in different worlds,” Raley said. “We’ve worked through some difficult situations together, but we’ve always been able to bring consensus and collaboration when we work together and been on the same page, ultimately benefitting the community to make sure everyone is safe.”

Sheriff Steven Creasey thanked Agnew for believing in him and hiring him as a dispatcher. “I’ve got some big shoes to fill. Thank you for the guidance, mentoring, and leadership over the past years.”

Former Virginia State Police Officer Jamie Pleasants was the trooper assigned to Goochland for more than three decades. “I’ve worked with some of the finest police forces and sheriffs’ offices in the state, but I brag on Goochland because they are the best.”

He recalled that during a February 2001 multicar pile-up on I-64 how the GCSO provided crucial back up for the State Police. “They were there for the victims and the community.”

Agnew said that the transition is “bittersweet”.  “Watching the transformation from a very rural county to one that is becoming exurban, has been interesting. I hope that open space will be preserved, and that people will still be able to earn a living from their land.”

“Goochland has many good people. I tried to solve problems and bring forces to bear to keep the county safe. We’ve never batted a thousand, no one does. I have no trepidation about handing over the reins to Steven Creasey as next Sheriff.”

Agnew will not miss the political aspect of the job. “Sheriff elections are always nasty for those involved. The past one more than ever,” he said. As all elected officials soon learn, no matter how hard you work, there will always be detractors who sharpen their claws during campaigns. Social media, he contended, has made the process more vicious. “People can say anything they want.”

In the next phase of his life, Agnew plans to spend more time with his grandchildren, watch football, tackle a “honey do” list, and perhaps try his hand at writing historical fiction.

“It’s been a pleasure and honor to serve all of you. We’ve always worked hard and given our best, it’s a wonderful job to serve wonderful people. We’ve evolved, we’ve come a long way,” Agnew reflected. “We worked for a seamless transition. I leave the county in very good hands.”