2023 Candidate Profile: Jose Quiroz For Arlington County Sheriff

ARLINGTON, VA — Jose Quiroz, who succeeded Sheriff Beth Arthur when she retired in January, is seeking the Democratic nomination for Arlington County Sheriff in the June 20 primary election.

Quiroz, a native of Arlington County, joined the Arlington County Sheriff’s office on Sept. 10, 2001. In 2019, Quiroz was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, followed by captain. In 2022, he was promoted to chief deputy by Arthur in the sheriff's office.

Quiroz is running against retired sheriff's office official Wanda Younger and Arlington County police officer James Herring in the Democratic primary.

Early voting in Arlington County in the Democratic primary began May 5. Voting on primary election day will happen from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 20.

Patch asked the three candidates for Arlington County Sheriff for their answers to the same questions. Here are Quiroz's responses:

Name

Jose Quiroz

Campaign website

https://joseforsheriff.us/

Age (as of Election Day)

44

Family

Wife and two children

Education

I joined the Marine Corps right after high school to serve my country and after being honorably discharged I continued serving my community through the Sheriff’s Office. I am certified in law enforcement, court security, civil process and jailor, as well as a certified general instructor. All of these certifications are through the Department of Criminal Justice Services. I have also completed the National Sheriff's Institute Jail Administration course hosted by the FBI Academy.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office (if any)

Current Sheriff of Arlington County as of January, 2023.

The single most pressing issue facing the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office is_________, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Deaths in the jail and the mental health of the people under our care is the most pressing issue to me.

• I am bringing Biometric Sensors, a tool that will capture bio data and help staff recognize medical crises when minutes and seconds matter so accurate care can be provided immediately.
• I developed the Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program to help inmates struggling with withdrawal symptoms from substance abuse disorder and any other mental health issues.
• I am working with the county to in-house our 24/7 medical staff and services to increase accountability, collect better data, and provide faster and more effective medical and mental health care to inmates.
• I commit to continue my strong relationships with organizations like OAR to bring in additional resources to support the care provided by our in-house 14 mental health therapists.
• I will also build more efficient systems and structures with the Arlington DHS to transport to medical facilities and/or bring in the right medical care in a time of need.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for Arlington County Sheriff?

Having worked in the Sheriff’s Office for over 21 years, I have built strong relationships with county leadership, community organizations, and my staff. I started my career as a deputy sheriff working in the detention facility and I have worked in every division of the Sheriff’s Office and held the rank of Chief Deputy prior to being appointed sheriff on January 6, 2023. I have already started working on the needs of my staff, inmates and the community. I have the trust of my staff and great working relationships with community and county leaders as the current Sheriff, which has made me a successful servant leader and advocate. As a son of immigrants from Honduras, I understand that diversity and representation matters and I will work alongside the community to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard and valued.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

My three key initiatives are as follows:

Safe and progressive jails focussed on rehabilitation:

• I am bringing Biometric Sensors that will help prevent medical crises.
• I developed the Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program to help inmates struggling with withdrawal symptoms from substance abuse disorder.
• I am working with the county to in-house our medical services.
• I commit to making communication free for inmates. Maintaining connections with loved ones is very important to the people in the jail, and this needs to be a free and accessible option.
• I am bringing back our robust volunteer-led program for the jail, a proven form of rehabilitation that will provide interactive and educational programs to inmates.
• I will use my relationships with county leaders and partners to continue working on new solutions for rehabilitation and successful reintegration.

Engaging with the community:

• I believe in creating trust in the Sheriff's Office and transparency with the community. I have created a PIO position, a Public Information Officer, and have assigned a Deputy Sheriff to the Police Department’s community engagement division.
• I am working on creating a dashboard and newsletter that will update the public on our daily work and on our data collections.
• I will also be updating our website, an accessible form of spreading information, as I have with our Facebook with the help of the PIO.
• I have built great partnerships with community organizations that help me bring in effective resources and services like trauma informed care, Moral Recognition Therapy and employability classes.

Staff wellness and development:

• I have invested in our training on important skills to ensure that staff are providing the best care and service.
• I am creating an internal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion unit to investigate and monitor our commitment to treating all staff and inmates equitably and creating a welcoming and understanding environment for all.
• I will continue supporting the mental health and wellness of staff.
• There is a national staff shortage problem in law enforcement agencies. I am helping retain staff by advocating for competitive pay and benefits.
• I am actively working on recruiting from diverse places and using current employees to engage their connections and build a recruitment network.

What would you do to increase the safety of people being held at the Arlington County jail and improve the operations of the jail?

I continue to be committed to the safety and security of the detention facility.

• Our Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) program is fully operational, allowing those incarcerated to relieve the withdrawal symptoms. Also, drug screenings have been implemented upon commitment, allowing us to identify those who could benefit from our MAT program.
• As of February 2023, all personal mail goes through a third party to ensure that contraband does not come into the facility. All personal mail arrives via a tablet that is assigned to each person residing in the detention facility. This system has already detected and prevented contraband from entering the facility in my short time as Sheriff.
• I am committed to providing intensive training to staff on important skills like de-escalation, anti implicit bias, trauma informed care, and more to keep rehabilitation as our top focus and treat the people in our jail with utmost respect and safety.

Safety is of utmost importance to me. It is something to constantly work on as we can always find new ideas and solutions to provide the best care and make the detention facility safer and healthier.

What would you do to streamline the security process at Arlington County Courthouse and make it easier for residents who need to visit the various county offices inside the building?

The safety and security of residents who need to visit county offices is extremely important. I will ensure this and streamline the process by doing the following:

• Encourage all employees of the courthouse to enter the building through the Police Entrance on 14th Street. This keeps the main entrance ‘open’ to only members of the public and reduces traffic into the building. I will ensure that ‘tail-gating’ does not occur as that is not a monitored entrance.
• We currently open a second Screening Station just for Jurors on Jury Days to provide better access.
• Increase and modify signage around the courthouse building on what is and is not permitted in the building by members of the public. This helps members of the public to ‘screen’ themselves before entering the building
• Recruit more staff to be able to have the second Second Screening Station open for limited time frames, such as during the busier the hours.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I was promoted several times in my career — sergeant, lieutenant, captain, chief deputy — which shows how much the leaders in my agency trusted me and believed in my ability to lead and care for my team. I have strong relationships with the community. I started the sheriff’s office breast cancer awareness campaign that has donated over 20,000 to the VHC outpatient clinic. I was also the director of the Arlington 9/11 Memorial 5K that has raised over 800,000 for military and first responder organizations. I received the Crisis Intervention Deputy of the Year award in 2015 and the VFW Post 3150 Deputy of the Year award in 2019.

Why should voters trust you?

I have the experience, the relationships, and the passion to serve Arlington County most effectively. I am a caring and compassionate leader who is committed to listening and learning from our diverse community. As the son of Honduran immigrants, it is important to me to bring in the voices of people who are often overlooked or taken advantage of in our society. I grew up in Arlington and know this community very well. I am here to serve and, as I told my staff on the first day I took office in January of 2023, I am in this position because I want to provide the best service and care that I can.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Take care of the people around you and they will take care of you

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am a dedicated father, husband, member of my church and community.

RELATED:

• 2023 Candidate Profile: Wanda Younger For Arlington County Sheriff
• 2023 Candidate Profile: James Herring For Arlington County Sheriff
• Arlington Primary Election 2023 Early Voting Set To Begin