Sheriff: Move to Cooks Corner

by Larry Chowning –

The Middlesex County Board of Supervisors (MCBS) encouraged Sheriff David Bushey at the July 12 MCBS meeting to move ahead with planning for a $3.7 million renovation into a new sheriff’s and emergency services facilities at the Lewis B. Puller Vocational Center building at Cooks Corner.

Nearly 20 years ago, when supervisors were threatened with a mandate by the Middlesex County Circuit Court judge to build a new courthouse building there was some conversation about moving the entire courthouse complex to Cooks Corner.

Supervisors opted to build the new courthouse behind the current historical courthouse building in Saluda, but there was logic in the argument by some that there was more acreage at Cooks Corner to house the entire complex.

Interestingly, many of the governmental agencies that were at one time located in Saluda have been relocated to Cooks Corner. The Middlesex County Public School administrative offices, department of social services offices, the Middlesex County Health Department facilities, Middlesex Parks and Recreation Department office, and the Middlesex County Animal Shelter have all been relocated over the years to Cooks Corner.

Sheriff Bushey is proposing to move the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) and department of emergency services offices into the 1980 built Puller Center building. “This just makes sense,” said Bushey. “It is going to cost us about $3.7 million for renovation compared to $8-$10 million to build a new office and the move will put us at Cooks Corner where many county offices are already located.”

At the July meeting, Bushey explained that the present sheriff’s office is not “accredited by Virginia’s Criminal Justice Services.” The accreditation is tied to a Police Reform Bill approved by the Virginia General Assembly in 2020 and went into effect March 2021.

There is a lack of space for storage of body cameras and other equipment and not enough office space for three required employees in the old sheriff’s office building in Saluda — all tied to accreditation…