Mike May would change hiring process in Prince William Commonwealth Attorney’s office

Opinion 

This November 3, we will have an election for the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park.

The Commonwealth’s Attorney is the lead elected prosecutor of felony crimes in Virginia. Working with 22 assistants, the elected Commonwealth’s Attorney helps ensure justice for our community.

The current incumbent is Paul Ebert who has held the position since 1968. The 77-year-old was first elected to the position at the age of 29. Yet a lot has changed since 1968.

For example, the average cost of a house was about $14,000 and the average income was $7,800 in 1968. The price of gasoline was 34 cents per gallon and the hourly wage was $1.50.

The year 1968 was also an historic year for America. It was the year that Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, it was the year that Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated, and it was the year that the Civil Rights Act of 1968 was signed into law.

And almost half a century later, the issue of race and justice is still at the forefront of many American cities and communities, particularly in recent months. Our local community has definitely changed tremendously since 1968. Prince William County has drastically changed from a sleepy farm community to the 2nd largest county in Virginia and one of the most economically and ethnically diverse large counties in America.

In fact, our county is a majority-minority community, meaning there are more ethnic minorities that make up the majority of the population than do Caucasians. African-Americans make up 21 % of the county and 13% of the City of Manassas. Hispanics make up 22% of the county and 31% of Manassas. Asian-Americans make up 8% of the county and 5% of Manassas. This diversity makes our community unique and special.

We represent the full fabric of our nation, as we fuse our cultures under the American banner of freedom, peace and opportunity. At the same time, there are challenges that we face.

For example, in many communities of color, there is pronounced distrust of law enforcement. As a result, our entire criminal justice system must confront such challenges proactively, rather than passively sitting by before reaching out to affected communities.

As an African-American female, I was very interested to hear from the respective candidates for Commonwealth’s Attorney as to their views on these issues at the recent debate sponsored by the local NAACP. The contrast between the candidates could not have been more dramatic. When asked about the distrust between communities of color and law enforcement and what could be done about it, Mr. Ebert essentially stated that this was not an issue and if there were any problems, to call him.

Unfortunately, this kind of complacency demonstrates just how out-of-touch Mr. Ebert has become after 47 years. It is no longer enough to sit passively and wait for issues to arise; it is time for our criminal justice system to actively engage with our community. We need a proactive leader to address the challenges of today’s Prince William, Manassas, and Manassas Park.

This complacency is also reflected in Mr. Ebert’s hiring practices. For example, despite our diverse population, the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney has not changed to reflect the diversity of the community it serves. Of the 22 Assistant Prosecutors under Paul Ebert, only one of them is an ethnic minority.

And Ebert has no plan or strategy to diversify the office. In fact, Mr. Ebert does not even publicly advertise available positions—so even if a qualified attorney of color wanted to apply for a job, he or she would not know where to look. In contrast to the complacency of 47 years of incumbency, Occoquan District Supervisor Mike May has a proactive plan to address the issues that confront today’s community.

His agenda includes opening the hiring process so that all qualified attorneys can compete for the opportunity to serve our community. Mike May’s top criteria will be competence; not political loyalty. By opening up the hiring process and actually advertising open positions, we will get a more diverse applicant pool and that will inevitably make the office more reflective of today’s community. .

It’s time for a fresh perspective in the Office of Commonwealth’s Attorney. Mr. Ebert has enjoyed a very long 47 year history in this position, but it’s time for change. It’s time to bring the Office of Commonwealth’s Attorney into the 21st Century. On November 3, join me in supporting Mike May for Commonwealth’s Attorney.