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Who will be Richmond's next Sheriff? Old rivals face off again in June primary
May 8, 2025
On June 17, a primary election will effectively decide who will become Richmond’s next sheriff.
The election sees the city’s current Sheriff Antionette Irving facing off again against former Richmond Police Sergeant William Burnett. Irving, a two-term incumbent is defending her job against a vocal critic who is promising a sweeping overhaul of Richmond's jail.
The two are familiar opponents. In 2021, Burnett lost an identical match-up by a 11-point margin, with Irving taking 55% of the vote.
In his campaign to unseat Irving, Burnett is seeking to turn the election into a referendum on Irving's past four years in charge. He has positioned himself as a fresh face able to reverse negative media attention drawn by a string of jail deaths and subsequent lawsuits.
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"I'm planning on reinventing the sheriff's department," said Burnett. "It's going to be like it's never been before."
Burnett, the only challenger, served two stints at the Richmond Police Department sandwiched around several years as a colonel under Irving’s predecessor, former Sheriff C.T. Woody. Burnett rose to the level of sergeant and worked street crime throughout public housing in the city, beginning in Mosby Court.
From his stint at the jail, Burnett says he has a number of allies who still work in the Richmond City Justice Center, and who have told him that Irving has depressed morale by berating employees, leading to staff retiring or changing careers.
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