The New Sheriff in Town Points to a Direction Forward as Deputies Sworn in for Coming Terms

At 5 p.m. Thursday, December 28, as the Warren County Courthouse doors were locked for the day, freeing up the bailiffs doing courthouse security, incoming Sheriff Crystal Cline greeted 63 Warren County Sheriff’s Office deputies, including those bailiffs and family members to county Circuit Courtroom “A.” The occasion was a swearing-in ceremony conducted under the auspices of Circuit Court Clerk Angela “Angie” Moore. Long-time Front Royal Police Department officer, and most recently Captain Cline, expressed her appreciation for the deputies’ service and their and their families’ sacrifices of time devoted to their work in upholding the laws and legal procedures of the Commonwealth of Virginia at the local level.

Circuit Court Clerk Angie Moore and incoming Sheriff Crystal Cline smile for the camera prior to the start of the swearing-in ceremony of 63 deputies. Below, incoming Sheriff Cline, arms extended, tells those deputies they will be part of a team she hopes to build to the mutual benefit, professionally and personally, of all its members. It is indicated those members will include a re-established Animal Control Department.

“A recurring theme that I heard from everybody is the family life — and the work/family life balance,” Cline said of one goal established from meetings she has already had with departmental personnel in the wake of an unusually high number of personnel departures during her predecessor’s four years in office, adding, “And that is one of my top priorities, to make that better. You should be thinking about your loved ones and your kids and all — that’s what life is all about. And if you are 90 percent time with the job and it’s all about the grind and the job, you’re not going to be very effective at that; you’re not going to be very happy to put that uniform on. So, that is one of the top priorities, to try to get some good, solid people coming in. And so I do ask you, hey, if you know someone, whether they’re certified or not, let’s get those applications in and let’s fill our roster.”

She noted she had no magic wand to wave to make everything fall into place as she and her officer’s oaths of office take effect with the coming of the new year four days away. “It’s going to take all of us to make this be a successful agency … I like the work, I like the team aspect,” Cline said in telling her assembled deputies she would, and already was, seeking their individual input in helping her move forward at the head of Warren County’s law enforcement office.

Second in command Major and Chief Deputy Jason Winner is sworn in to open the group oaths of office. No, all 63 were not sworn in individually, see below, just the major and one other deputy, Steven Guizar, an “Auxiliary Deputy Sheriff” whose oath was worded slightly differently than the 61 “Deputy Sheriffs” oaths.

So, here is a public thank you to all those 63 deputies sworn in for the coming four-year terms and their families. And here’s wishing luck to incoming Sheriff Cline and staff in reaching that roster-filled status that will make life more balanced for all the department’s deputies, current and to come.

And while not in view as the crowd gathered for the swearing-in ceremony, some tasty holiday refreshments were served outside the courtroom at its conclusion. Always ready to be of service, your humble reporter did some quality-control cookie taste-testing prior to his slightly early departure. It passed the test – and the cake looked awfully good too.