George,

I am saddened by Mrs. Londeree's ill-informed comments about Larry Claytor's candidacy. Plain and simple, Larry is running on his broad and selfless record of service to the citizens of Albemarle County.

The Charlottesville Police Department, where Harding is captain is NOT a member of the regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Yet the Albemarle Police Department, where Larry works as a senior Crime Scene Investigator, has been a member of the regional ICAC since 2000, and has recently made major high profile child pornography arrests in Crozet.

Why is it that Captain Harding has not sought to plug this dangerous hole in the regional ICAC? Even more strangely, why does Harding now want to come into Albemarle County, were these crimes are vigorously being pursued, and try to duplicate these efforts in the Sheriff's Office? As Claytor rightly contends, the responsibility of criminal investigation in Charlottesville and Albemarle County belongs with the police departments.

Mrs. Londeree should consider that Harding's whole program is based on the theory that Ed Robb has done a good job running the Sheriff's Office. If she believes that, maybe she also thought it was a good idea to camouflage the regional jail to protect it from terrorists? It is well known that Robb has created serious problems in the Sheriff's Office-morale is low and training is suffering. Courthouse metal detectors are not manned because he has pulled deputies away from their core duties.

If Mrs. Londeree took some time to learn more about Larry, she would know that he has a very positive agenda. Larry wants to refocus the department, strengthen the training (Larry has over 20 years experience as a certified police instructor) and improve cooperation and coordination with the County Police Department. Larry just received an ACPD commendation for leading a multi-departmental operation. Larry is extremely passionate about victims' rights and has met with leaders of the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance to improve the courtroom atmosphere so survivors of domestic abuse will feel more comfortable in testifying, thereby increasing the rate of prosecutions in these cases.

Not only does Larry have an impressive law enforcement career, but all of his work for the Charlottesville Albemarle Rescue Squad, saving lives and managing the organization , has been done in his free time, after he takes off his police uniform. As President of C.A.R.S., Larry Claytor stood up to some in the Charlottesville City Government who have insisted on misusing the taxpayers' money on a for-pay Rescue Squad. Perhaps this is why he attracted the ire of certain city council members, notably Mr. Taliaferro.

Jon-Phillip Sheridan (Electronic mail, November 5, 2007).