Two familiar candidates are vying for Richmond's sheriff job for a second time, bringing differing experience and priorities to a role that touches nearly every aspect of local public safety.
Incumbent Sheriff Antionette Irving is seeking re-election after seven years in office. Irving has pointed to the importance of continuing to work within the Richmond City Justice Center to help individuals develop and become a “positive and productive part of our communities,” through programming offered under her leadership.
Her challenger, William Burnett, argues it’s time for fresh leadership. Burnett is a veteran law enforcement officer, with 32 years of experience in both the Richmond City Sheriff’s Office and Richmond Police Department. He is running on a platform of increased transparency, strengthening partnerships with local police, and greater oversight of jail operations. He wants the sheriff’s office to play a “serious role” in reducing crime.
The two candidates last faced off in 2021, when Irving secured a decisive win. Now, they’re headed for a second showdown on June 17. Without a Republican candidate currently declared for November’s general election, the winner will most likely be leading the sheriff’s office — one of the largest in Virginia, with nearly 500 staff members.
RCSO handles a wide range of duties that directly impact local safety and the justice system — including running operations at the Richmond City Justice Center, administering the Alternative Sentencing Program, guarding courthouses and transporting people who are incarcerated.
As the primary approaches, the sheriff’s race is shaping up to be a referendum on leadership style and departamental culture. Despite their differences, both candidates agree that the sheriff’s office must evolve to meet the needs of a changing community.
Pressing issues at Richmond’s jail
During Irving’s tenure, RCJC has faced intense scrutiny over its handling of in-custody inmate deaths, violence and staffing shortages.
Irving confirmed to VPM News in March that during her tenure, there have been 13 in-custody deaths at the city’s jail. Court documents obtained by VPM News show that Irving has settled two federal cases for in-custody overdose deaths that occurred in 2022 and 2023. RCJC is currently under a compliance plan after an investigation by the Virginia Board of Local and Regional Jails found that jail staff failed to conduct required hourly inspections and violated rules.
In the case of Vance Holloway, who was found dead in his cell in December 2022, Irving settled for $40,000. Settlement details in the case of Steven Carey, who died from a fentanyl overdose in January 2023, were not disclosed in court filings.
“When we talk about what goes on inside of the jail, we also have to talk about what goes on outside of the jail in our communities, and we're reflective of that,” Irving said. “Whether it's people being sick, whether it's people that's harming each other, whether people that may have some type of an addiction.”
Irving’s plan to combat in-custody drug deaths or overdoses includes ramping up existing substance abuse programming, thorough staff searches and investing heavily in enhancing security measures.
“What we're trying to do is make sure we have all the safety protocols in place, have security measures in place,” Irving said. “We have extra perimeter security so we secure it up, so that we can make sure that we can catch any persons that are trying to get anything into our facility, whether it's someone from the outside or someone from the inside.”
To deal with the rise in overdose deaths, Burnett said major changes need to happen when it comes to staff searches, including establishing a K-9 unit and increasing drug testing for both staff and inmates.
“I have a serious role in trying to reduce the drugs that's flowing into the jail,” Burnett told VPM News. “The only way that the drugs are being funneled in is through staff. Staff has to be bringing those drugs in.”
Burnett said his proposed K-9 unit would regularly search the jail’s parking lot and mailroom. Burnett said under his leadership, staff would not be allowed to leave the building until the end of their shift.
Programming within RCJC
Rehabilitative programming is a deeply personal priority for both candidates, shaped by their own life experiences. Irving said that as a child she witnessed how the cycles of trauma and substance abuse can devastate families.
Currently, people incarcerated at RCJC have access to 29 programs and over a dozen vocational offerings.
“I'm just wanting to make sure that people are cared for, that people are taken care of, and that people get the right opportunities, people get second chances, and people don't get misjudged or that people aren't just treated any kind of way,” Irving said.
Burnett shares a similar motivation: his brother died of an overdose, and his sister battled drug addiction for years before entering recovery.
“When it comes to drugs, there's no ‘one size fits all.’ One program might work for another person, but it may not work for the next person,” Burnett said, mentioning bringing back community programs like REAL LIFE, which started at the jail. “I'm going to not try to reinvent the wheel, but I'm going to look at the best programs out there with proven numbers to show that they work.”
The candidates are split when it comes to vocational programming, like forklift and commercial driver's license training, offered at RCJC. Irving said the programs have been a “big hit” and wants to expand these offerings, while Burnett believes the focus should remain on behavioral health and substance abuse treatment.
“They are putting the cart before the horse with talking about getting driver’s [licenses] for CDLs,” Burnett said. “You've giving people jobs before you fix them or help them, because all this does is enable them.”
Burnett criticized Irving’s focus on vocational training: “She talks on, ‘I have this CDL program, and I have this,’ you giving people jobs, but then the people are still dying in your jail.”
Role of the sheriff’s office in Richmond communities
Both candidates have deep ties to the city and agree on the importance of continuing and expanding community initiatives, saying they want the sheriff’s office to play an active role in outreach and giving back.
Irving said the sheriff’s office attends more than 140 community events and works with an extended list of community partners every year.
Aside from events, Irving said RSCO’s outreach focuses on caring for individuals in the community through the “Are you Okay?” program, designed to support the well-being and safety of Richmond seniors. The sheriff’s office also partners with Project Lifesaver to assist in searching for individuals with mental health conditions via transmitters.
“We want to be a productive part of our city, and what it is that we're doing to help our city, to grow and to nourish the individuals in our city, I want to be able to continue to do that,” Irving said. “We want to put people in a position to be successful, be in a position to be the best person that they possibly can be, and we're working really hard at that.”
Burnett wants to see deputies take a more active role in the community by assisting with ensuring public safety. He emphasized the need for reform, saying he would create specialized units — including one dedicated to serving warrants and another with the authority to make arrests.
“I'm going to redefine the role of sheriffs,” Burnett said, adding that the “quality of life unit” would partner with Richmond Police and respond to calls related to package theft, panhandling and the city’s noise ordinance.
Burnett has also proposed a cadet program focused on preparing the city’s youth for careers in the sheriff’s office.
Interactions with federal immigration
Both candidates made it clear that they would not cooperate with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement without a judicial warrant.
“I established that when I first came in, we're going to follow the law,” Irving said. “And until we get paperwork from a judicial officer, just like any other warrant, to hold someone for anybody, whether ICE or Henrico or Chesterfield, we only do it if paperwork shows.”
Irving and Burnett agree that the sheriff’s office should not play a role in civil immigration enforcement — and that honoring ICE detainers without proper legal documentation undermines trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities.
“I have no intent at all in participating to run people down, hunt people down, chase people — I have no desire,” Burnett said. “I'm not allowing the federal government, the way it stands now, to come and disrupt courtrooms or court procedures.”
Burnett said if elected, he would hire an attorney with a background on immigration to keep him up to date: “I need to know the laws as they stand, because they are constantly changing, but I have no plans to participate at all. I will treat every detainer — whether it be state, federal, local — I would treat every detainer as if it was a regular one.”
Richmonders will have a chance to hear directly from both candidates at a roundtable hosted by the Richmond City Democratic Committee on Sunday, June 15, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Diversity Richmond, 1407 Sherwood Ave.
Read VPM News’ interviews with other June primary candidates:
Lieutenant Governor: Levar Stoney | Ghazala Hashmi | Babur Lateef | Alex Bastani | Victor Salgado
Attorney General: Jay Jones | Shannon Taylor
Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney: Tom Barbour and Colette McEachin
Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, Jack Jouett District: Sally Duncan and Dave Shreve
