PRINCE EDWARD – Greg “Juice” Giuriceo has announced his intentions to be a candidate for Prince Edward County Sheriff in the November election.

“Due to the overwhelming response of the last election in 2007, once again, I have been asked and encouraged to run by numerous people,” he said in a news release. “So, I decided to take the idea under serious consideration. In today's society, the operations within the Sheriff's Office need to be proactive and dynamic. Things must change in order to better serve our community.”

He also cited, “Once again, with the blessings and support from my family, many friends and supporters, I have decided to launch my efforts to be Prince Edward County's next Sheriff.”

Giuriceo, who fell 477 votes short in the race for sheriff in 2007, began working for the Blackstone Police Department in 1992 and has law enforcement experience working for Nottoway County Sheriff's Office (and has been working as a deputy for the past couple of years), Burkeville Police Department, and currently works for the Hampden-Sydney College Police Department. A native of Prince Edward County, Giuriceo is a graduate of Cumberland High School and from Central Virginia Criminal Justice Academy in Lynchburg and is qualified as an instructor.

While Giuriceo is actively running, the official campaign kick-off will occur in March. He had not determined whether he will run as a Republican, as he did in 2007. He noted he is looking “more toward…independent because I've gained so much support from, I guess…some Democrats in the County that have…shown some interest in supporting me this time and I felt that the need is there to probably go independent. But…what I want the citizens to look at is that I'm the right person, not about party; I'm more for the people and I'm not so much strung out on the party deal. I want people to cast their vote for me, I guess, as the right candidate and not based on the party.”

He cited in the press release, “During the next several weeks, I will be taking the time to develop the ever growing foundation on which I will run my campaign, due to the inherent complexities that come with being sheriff of a diverse county like Prince Edward.”

He also cited, “Again, I expect this campaign to be a positive one where we have a serious conversation about the issues facing Prince Edward County. I am continuing to base my campaign on the platform of Safety, Service, and Community. I believe that the county is still facing many challenges that need to be addressed, and the only way to meet these challenges is to have a proactive Sheriff. Prince Edward County is where I grew up, it's where I elected to raise my family, and I want to help ensure that our Sheriff's Office is doing everything it can to protect and serve the county that so many of us are proud to call home. I am looking forward to the months ahead and exploring with the citizens the ideas and concepts that will propel the Sheriff's Office into the premier agency that Prince Edward deserves.”

Giuriceo and his wife, Shelia, a first grade teacher at Prince Edward County Elementary School, have three children, ages 13, 11 and ten, who attend Prince Edward.