A mass shooting incident in a Nashville, Tenn. elementary school is underscoring the need for School Resource Officers (SROs) in all Henry County schools, according to Del Mills, who hopes to be elected sheriff in November.
Wayne Davis, chief deputy in the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, also is seeking the post.
Incumbent Sheriff Lane Perry plans to retire July 1.
Although Mills has not maintained his certification as a law enforcement officer, it is not required to either campaign for, or serve as sheriff, he said, adding that his list of priorities will more rely on communication skills, his dedication to community service and his love for youngsters.
Mills said he meets or exceeds Virginia’s minimum requirements, which mandate officers to be at least 18, a U.S. citizen, undergo a background check and have a high school education or equivalent.
The father of a 7-year-old, as well as a 23 and a 26-year-old, Mills said he has a vested interest in protecting children.
“For me, it’s personal,” he said, but the concern isn’t exclusively his. It’s also one that is shared by many of the people he has talked to during his campaign.
Although the county currently has SROs in its middle and high schools, Mills said if elected, he will work to ensure placement in elementary schools as well. “There needs to be somebody there,” both to respond quickly if needed and to serve as a positive influence for students, he said.
“That’s the human side of police work. They would serve as a role model and work in tandem” with school officials, parents, children and other community stakeholders, he said of SROs.
While the school division partially funds SRO positions, Mills said “there are enough officers in that department to handle those roles. You can’t put a dollar amount on our children, but there are areas (in the budget) you can work with to allocate” funds and put SROs in elementary schools.
Children “are our highest priority,” Mills said. “Children are the infrastructure of your community, and they shouldn’t be concerned about safety at school. They’re making friends, developing social skills” and learning various subjects.
School safety “should not be an issue at all,” Mills said. That extends to parents, who are tasked with teaching their children morals and positive behaviors.
“Parenting comes from home, but an officer in the school system can be that ear” for youngsters when needed and “serve as a positive influence for kids,” Mills said.
Other concerns he has heard from voters include everything from drugs and petty larceny crimes, but one recurring theme is “that the office is slow getting back” once the report is filed.
If elected, Mills said his plan to address those concerns.
“It is not complicated. You’ve got to be open, trustworthy and people have to feel they can pick up the phone and call you,” he said, adding that he also would work to reinstate Neighborhood Watch groups, which seem to have fallen by the way, particularly after the pandemic.
The watch meetings “are a time for the community to come together,” Mills said. “I grew up in the70s and 80s, and that was a big deal. Neighbors looking after neighbors.”
Signs in communities with strong watch groups also acted as a deterrent to crime, and the meetings reinforce the idea that “if you see something suspicious or concerning,” report it, he said. “It’s not taking it in your own hands, but you need a department that will be responsive.”
While John Cassell, a candidate for sheriff in the most recent election, has endorsed him, Mills said other statements floating around the community are rumors, including his plans to appoint Cassell as his chief deputy if he wins the election.
His brother, David Mills, “will be on board,” he said, adding that David Mills spent 19 years as the assistant jail administrator. He would oversee the operations of the jail under Mill’s administration.
It’s an important assignment because “the jail is where you start” as a new officer, and “that can be overwhelming,” Mills said. “You’ve got to have good leadership and get them trained” without overtaxing new officers.
“The jail is a totally different environment. You’ve got to be able to talk and communicate” effectively, he said.
As for other top slots, “I am a firm believer in promoting from within,” Mills said, emphasizing that he is running for office “to improve on a department that has some fantastic, motivated men and women.”
He hopes that by making the improvements he deems necessary, “that job performance will spill over into the community” and benefit the county as a whole.
Mills, who was a communications specialist and a team leader during his stint in the Army – 1987 to 1990, said his experience in law enforcement spans several areas.
He was a member of the SWAT team, worked in community policing, law enforcement, patrol, civil process server and spent 12 years in corrections. He left that position as a shift supervisor. He retired from law enforcement in 2019, with 25 years of service.
He has a degree in Criminal Justice, and “I was an Honor Guard member for 20 years,” Mills said.
Currently, Mills operates the Henry County Food Pantry, which relocated from the HJDB Event Center to the former Bassett Printing building.
In its new home, the pantry serves 1,200 to 1,400 families each month, is a centralized hub for other agencies that provide food, and directly serves food to families each week, Mills said. When located in the HJDB center, the pantry offered food only on a monthly basis.
His job at the pantry requires Mills to wear many hats; he manages budgets, writes grant applications and coordinates volunteers to keep the pantry running smoothly.
Although the new facility and expanded operations require more work, Mills finds community service fulfilling – also is among the reasons he is seeking the sheriff post.
“I feel like I’ve still got a lot to offer,” Mill said of his “experience, military service and community service. I still have a lot to give.”
