The I Love CVille Show With Jerry Miller! - Joe Platania & Mike Kochis Joined Jerry Miller Live On The I Love CVille Show!

Episode Date: December 11, 2024

Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney Joe Platania and Charlottesville Police Chief Mike Kochis joined Jerry Miller live on The I Love CVille Show! The I Love CVille Show airs live Monday – Friday from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm on The I Love CVille Network. Watch and listen to The I Love CVille Show on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, iTunes, Apple Podcast, YouTube, Spotify, Fountain, Amazon Music, Audible, Rumble and iLoveCVille.com.

Good Wednesday afternoon, guys. My name is Jerry Miller, and thank you kindly for joining us on the I Love Seville Show. It's great to connect with you guys in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia, about, what, half a block from the Charlottesville Police Department, a block and change from Joe's office, Joe Plantania's office here. A lot we're going to cover on today's program. We're going to talk with two key stakeholders in the Charlottesville community. Joe Plantania, an institutional stakeholder, been in the Commonwealth's

attorney's office since 2003. And of course, I got to ask Mr. Plantania if he has a plans for a third run at his office, if he's going to run for re-election next year. That topic has been peppered to me over the last two weeks. We'll talk with Chief Kachis of what he's done in this community. He is the George Clooney of policing, and I give this man significant props for writing a city that had some, be very frank, some issues with crime before he took the job.

And not just issues with crime, a vacancy rate with his police department that I believe when he started was flirting right around 30% open. So I've got to talk about the vacancy rate with Chief Katchus. talk housing affordability with his department and whether his officers can afford to live in a city that has a family median family household income of 124,200. And folks that number in 2024, that number this year, when those numbers are released in Q1 of next year, are going to go up even more. It's going to be over 125,000. Easy peasy, Sunday breezy. Judah Wickhauer, the glue man, the Elmers of this network. I think every team needs a glue guy where the stats may not show up in the box score, but the guy that's getting the loose balls and the rebounds and helping the team to victory. And that's Judah B. Wickhauer behind the camera. We'll give some props to one of our partners,

Charlottesville Sanitary Supply. 60 consecutive years of business for a retail location on East High Street in the internet age. Good night, guys. John Vermillion and Andrew Vermillion, you guys are making special things happen at Charlottesville Sanitary Supply, and we're very grateful for your partnership right here on the I Love Seville show. Judah, without further ado, I'm excited for today's show. Joe Plantania and Mike Koch is in the studio. Gentlemen, without further ado, I'm excited for today's show. Joe Plantania and Mike Koch is in the studio. Gentlemen, good Wednesday afternoon. Great to see you, Jerry. Good to be here, man. It's great to have you here. We start with the open-ended question each time. Joe, we'll start with you. Your state of the union, if you may, your state of Charlottesville for today,

what you see is working and what you see maybe that needs to be massaged a little bit. So things feel really good. I'm also coming at it from the perspective, as you mentioned, I've been around for quite a while. That's why the beard's getting a little more gray every week. I keep my shave. But, you know, where we've come as a community from August 12th of 2017 to today feels like we've made really significant leaps and bounds. There's always more work to be done, areas we can improve, of course,

but I think things feel really good. We had six homicides last year. We've had one to date this year. Chief Kotchis might talk a little bit about Part 1 crime. It's down 5% or 6%. 10%. 10%. So things feel good.

It feels like a safe and stable community. We've got a great team in the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, and I love working with this guy. It's been almost two years, and so I feel like things are good and we've got brighter days ahead. Same question for you, Chief Conscious. State of the Union here in Charlottesville. Man, things are good, but we've still got a lot of work to do. And, you know, we've been moving fast. It's been two, it'll be two years, January 16th of 2025. So coming up on our two-year mark. And as you said at the beginning, you know, one of the big things,

when I came here, you know, the mission was pretty clear that we need to address violent crime and we need to stabilize our police department and build trust within the community but you can't do get to that trust piece without people to do that work and we had like you said about 30% vacancy rate within our organization and so that's one of the things we really focused on and today we we we average maybe about a handful vacancies single digits so I'm really proud about that I'm thinking in January, we'll probably be fully staffed. But, you know, that's fully staffed at 111 sworn allocated positions. In 2016, the allocated sworn positions for our police department was 131. So, I mean,

it's been reduced significantly since then. So we're having some difficult conversations now as we're going through this budget process. And I'm working with the city manager who has been awesome for our police department. I think the city manager has been awesome for the city. The relationships we're building, not only within the community, but within city government, with the Commonwealth Attorney's Office in 27 years of doing this. I don't think I've ever had a closer relationship with a Commonwealth Attorney than I do with Joe and his office I mean we talked about homicides and yeah we're I mean homicides are down 83% right now and so that just doesn't

happen right people real people doing real work hard work and to see his folks from his office in our detect's offices working on these really serious cases at one two three o'clock in the morning with our folks side by side just makes me feel really good about the state that we're in but we still got a lot of work to do man we're we're working hard and we're we're still sprinting and we're going to continue to do that uh logan wells clay low kevin yancey watching the program holly foster and henrico virgin says, I've been waiting for this show since you first announced it a few weeks ago. I see questions and comments coming in. I see local media watching the show.

Chief Kachis, before you took the job, the vacancy rate was so significant. I had anywhere from half a dozen to, call it, six to ten of your officers in the department reaching out to us off the record saying you need to put on the platform out there what's going on within the police department. The instability, the vacancy rate, and the trials that a lot of the officers were facing. So you've stabilized that organization.

Joe Plantania has been in the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office going on 22 years. First arrived when Dave Chapman was the Commonwealth's Attorney. You worked as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney. I believe at that time I was a second or third year at the University of Virginia. So I've read the name, heard the name, seen the name Joe Plantania for two decades. The question that I think you knew was going to come, does Joe Plantania make a push for a third term as Commonwealth's Attorney of Charlottesville? So I haven't announced anything publicly yet. It feels like we just got through

the presidential election, and I think people might need a little break from politics, although I was pleased to see Brian Pinkston and Juan Diego Wade announce they've done a good job. So nothing to announce publicly, maybe something in January of next year, but I will say this. We've got an amazing office. I've got amazing teammates and colleagues there, and this is the best job in the world. I love it. I'm having a lot of fun. I think we're doing a good job.

Like the chief said, there's always room for improvement. We just finished a community academy with 11 citizens. You were in it, right? No, it was his community academy. Your community academy, yeah. It was the prosecutor's office. So just a lot of great stuff. It's a great community. I love being here, love the job, and so I'll have something in January.

But there is an election, and the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office is on the slate for 2025, June primary, November general. John Blair, I'll get to your comment here in a matter of moments. He's watching over on LinkedIn. Questions are coming in extremely quickly right now. It's the Clooney thing, isn't it? Everyone's watching to see George Clooney. The George Clooney of policing in my conscience and the dapper and distinguished Joe Plantania who pulls off the kicks, the sneakers with the suit. I've said this so many times on this program, Chief Cotches.

I think as a guy that is in the branding business, there is no more electable individual in the city of Charlottesville than Mike Cotches right there. No BS, Chief. All right, so, Jerry, there's one thing I really despise. If he runs for commissary, I'll step down. I'll put that on's one thing I really despise. If he runs for commo, I'll step down. I'll put that on the air. I absolutely despise politics. I really do. I understand as a police chief, as an appointed official, I have to understand

it. I need to be politically savvy, and I need to be able to navigate political environments. That being said, you will never see me run for an elected office. Period. So I can take that off my... Take that off. And the last thing I think this community wants or needs

is a police chief that is running for some type of political office. Okay, I'll throw this to you, then I'll weave Joe in the mix here. Is this the last job for Chief Mike Katchus? I've said that before. I've already retired once. I'm not going anywhere. 100%.

100%. Okay. I can't go back. I told you that during our first meeting. Yeah, you retire in a Charlottesville police chief uniform. Yeah, absolutely. I love this community and I love this job. I have fun every day. I love that. John Blair says

Charlottesville could not ask for a better prosecutor and human being than Joe Plantania. He is as good as any city could ask for. That is the former Charlottesville city attorney, former interim city manager of Charlottesville, now running the show over in Stanton. John Blair giving you some props right there.

What does stuff like that mean? First question. Second part of the question there. You said there's no better job than being the Commonwealth's attorney, the job that you have right now. There's got to be some times, some of those nights, because I feel like there's no better job

than what I do right now. We're basically, we've made our passion our professions. And when you do that, the saying is you don't work a day in your life. But let's cut to the chase. There are certain times where it feels like it's a grind. When does it feel like a grind? And what does it mean for a commentary like John Blair to you? Well, John's, you know, one of the best around. It was a big loss to this community when he left. He served it well. Anyone that knows John, it's amazing. And so, hey, John, good to hear from you.

Glad you're doing well. So I have a web board with some quotes on it, and one of the quotes is, you're one of two things in life, humble or about to be. So that's kind of how I try and approach the job, in my view towards life is, and I think that I see a lot of prosecutors that quite candidly exhibit arrogance and hubris, and that's where prosecutors get in trouble.

And so I'm susceptible to it at times and maybe get ahead of my ski sometimes, but I just try and really take comments like that with a degree of humility. And also there's a lot of people that say the opposite about me and so try and not react too strongly one way or another. January said an announcement comes out? Perhaps. I haven't really put a lot of thought into it, but at some point I'll take an action and let the community know.

But again, best job in the world. I love it, and we've got a great team. I'll use an action and let the community know. But again, best job in the world. I love it. And we've got a great team. I'll use that as a segue for Chief Kotch. Joe Plantania is Commonwealth's attorney. What have you seen? Not only is Joe a friend, but what I've seen from Joe is someone who, one, he knows his job. He's smart. I mean, he's just smart, right? And so, but he's thoughtful, you know? I think you hear all too often taglines and, you know, political statements. That's not Joe, right? He knows he's got a job to do. It's an important job.

And just a thoughtful and very competent office. I mean, the case is that these aren't easy cases that we're working. And they wear on you. You were talking just earlier about the grind, right? It is a grind. And I tell people this when I talk to new chiefs, whether at the National Academy or at the new chief school in Virginia. Like this being a police chief is not a marathon. And I suspect for Commonwealth attorney is the same. It's a sprint and you sprint as fast as you can for as long as you can.

And it's because our organizations, our community deserves folks who are either the elected Commonwealth attorney or the police chief to be sprinting and moving the organization forward all the time. And sometimes that'll wear on you. There's not much work-life balance. I will tell you that. It's been described to me most recently as more like a work-life integration. So my kids are older, so they're kind of grown and flown. My wife, she does events with me, and so kind of integrate our life into the job and you have to as a police chief and or as a commonwealth attorney what's a symbiotic relationship look like between uh the police department and the commonwealth attorney's office i'll answer that so i think one of the things too the chief and i are sitting here but we would both be the first to tell you that we're only as good as our colleagues.

And I didn't use the word employees. I didn't use the word subordinates. I used very intentionally the word colleagues because I've seen how he treats everyone on his team and their colleagues and their teammates. And I like to try and think I do the same in the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. And so we are fortunate to lead great teams. But very early on, here's what it looks like for people watching and listening. Very early on, I can't remember the case, but I was in with the detectives at like 2 in the morning with Nina Antony, our chief deputy, and we were there helping them with search warrants and giving them legal advice.

And the chief walked in, and it was very early on. And he looked at me and he's like, he was like shocked. He's like, what are you guys doing here? And I looked at him, the chief of police is there at two in the morning. I was like, well, what are you doing here? And I think we had a moment where that set the tone is that we're both here and going to be involved and, you know, going to be working hand in hand. And we don't always agree. The police don't work for us. We don't work for the police. We have healthy and good disagreements.

But it's been a really good relationship over two years, and we've done a lot of really good work and built a lot of really good, strong relationships. It's an important relationship. Probably the most important relationship a police chief could have is with their elected Commonwealth attorney. A coach is only as good as his team, right? And I think if you go back to the police department, you know, a few years before I got there and some of the issues that we were having,

you know, you can talk about reforms in policing and crime strategies and public safety all you want. But unless you get those men and women in that building up the street here on board you're just it's just gonna be you're just gonna continue to talk about it right and so I think that's one of the things that I see with Joe and his office I'm talking about these are colleagues and our office is really investing in the folks within the four walls of our building you know and then if you get that right man what these folks can do, Jerry, it's amazing.

I see it each and every day, you know, when things are like, it gets stressful and the grind is kind of getting you a little bit and it's like, you know, I went and visited a night shift roll call the other day and it was like, I was going home and I told my wife, I was like, it was like, it's like therapeutic, like just being around these young cops that just want to be out here and do the work and do a good job and care about this community. So I'm really optimistic about where we are as an organization. I want to champion your department, Chief Katchus. We say on the show all the time we back the blue.

We fought vigorously with our platform against the defund the police movement. I don't see a community that is the best version of itself with budget cuts to the police department. I see a community that's the best version of itself funding policing and funding the community work that policing does. And I think you've changed the brand and the narrative of the police department tremendously since you've evolved. Since you've come here, you've evolved that brand into a human connection brand, a brand of listening to learn. I want to highlight the officers in your department, the total number, and the officers in your department that can afford to rent or own in the city of Charlottesville

because I think when the community hears this statistic, they will find it disheartening, and they will realize that it's more funding the police department needs. So I think of about, I think we have now, and I could be off a few numbers here, but we have about 145, 150 employees within the police department. I think there's maybe about five that live in this city. Including you. Including myself, yes.

And so it's a real problem. But I will say this, Jerry, that's not unique to Charlottesville either. You see that in a lot of places. I came up through Alexandria and northern Virginia. I mean, they're really struggling up there because 25 years ago, you could be a cop in the city of Alexandria and live in western Prince William County and still buy a home for somewhat of a reasonable price. That's no longer the case. I don't know where the hell these guys live

up there anymore. So for us, at least, but it's getting more and more expensive. Here you could work in the city and still live somewhat reasonable, maybe Nelson, Augusta, wherever. But yeah, it's a huge problem. It really is. And look, there's lots of competitive things when you start talking about budgets and police funding and all the needs that we have. And public safety involves lots of things other than just the police as well. And so I get you've got to invest in people and places as a government.

But the police can't be left out. And I think that may have happened in the past. But I don't see that now. The last two budget cycles with this city manager, we've been in a pretty good place, and I don't see a push to defund us at this point. I'll throw a straightforward question to both you guys. This is a question that's been posed to us

by a number of viewers and listeners prior to the show. What do you got? Westhaven, you got Blue Ridge Commons, you got 900 South 1st Street, which is CRHA. Kindlewood, which is what? Former Garrett Square Friendship Court, CRHA, PHA. 700th South 6th Street. It seems like a large portion of the violence that's happening in Charlottesville,

specifically gun violence, is happening on like 2% or 3% of the blocks in the city of Charlottesville. Open-ended question on that topic, Joe, and then I'll ask some specific questions to you both. But how do we continue to make movement and progress with violence, gun violence, knowing that such a concentration portion of this activity is happening in hot pockets? Hot spots. Hot spots. Yeah. You know, my first reaction is anyone that thinks they can figure this out or has an answer is kidding themselves. It's really, I've heard Tim Hafe, former U.S. attorney for the Western District, talk about the complexities and the nuances and how you need sort of a multifaceted approach. I don't know. I wish I had an answer. I just don't know. I rip off his soccer analogy all the time. When it comes to him and it comes to our office, you know, 10 players on the soccer field have broken down

and we're the goalie. We're sort of the last line of defense. So I think figuring out some sort of way to get it upstream before it happens and to get into these young people's lives before they pick up the gun and before they start, you know, making bad choices with who they associate with.

But I wish I had an answer. I don't. And incarceration in prison is not the answer. It's just not. We'll do it, but it's... Why do you say that's not the answer, just out of curiosity? Well, I think what people don't understand, I mean, come sit in court sometime and watch a sentencing where you've got someone that's being sent to prison and the disruption and impact that takes on their life, the life of their loved ones and their family members. And as a prosecutor, you don't ever leave those sentencings.

And the chief's been to a lot of the homicide sentencing. I go to all the sentencings. Yeah. You don't leave there feeling good about what you've done. It's not a joyous occasion. And I just left out the impact on the victims and their family members and the trauma that they have suffered and will continue to suffer. When we meet with them, we say, look, there's not a number we can put on the life of the loved one that you lost

that's going to make you feel better. And, in fact, the healing really doesn't start until the criminal process is over so you know the answer whatever it is lies in figuring these situations out before they happen but it's just it they're tough emotional proceedings for everyone involved yeah so if you if you really dig deep, right, so violence is rooted in poverty. Yes. It just is. So you've got to have conversations around housing. You have to have conversations around mental health.

You have to have conversations around substance abuse, all of those things, right, all of those systems, education systems. When these systems, though, fail, we're left to pick up the pieces. Because we can't afford to fail. When you were talking about where these pockets are, Jerry, those are the same pockets that have been there for the last 20 years in this city.

Longer. I first arrived in 2000. It's the same. The same conversations about the same neighborhoods. 100%. Then lies the question, what are we doing right and what are we doing wrong right maybe there needs to be some difficult conversations about maybe a different direction i don't know a lot smarter people to me gonna need to figure that out but i can tell you when we sit down every month and have our comp stamp meetings and we look at the hot spot now now we're asking the question what's the hot spot within the hot spot? What is that one? Because when you look at West Haven, they have 150 some units up there,

something like that. There's maybe four or five that are the problems. Majority of folks who live in that community are good, hardworking folks, wants the same thing for their kids that you and I want and Joe want for our kids, right? To be able to sleep at home or sleep in a bedroom, not worry about bullets flying through their home, or be able to let your kids play outside and not have to worry about being hurt, right? So we really have started to focus on those, those small areas and, like, what's going on,

like, if it's a specific residence. And, look, if you're going to continue to be that hotspot within the hotspot, well, maybe you don't need to be there anymore, right? Or what do you need to not do that anymore? What services do you need will point you in the right direction? I don't know. But CRHA, I will tell you, has really been a great partner lately. We've been working... Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority. Yeah, so specifically John Sayles. We have cases now. We work directly with him. When we have issues involving

firearms or violence in homes, I'm not afraid to say it. I'll reach out to John and say, hey, man, like they shouldn't be there anymore then. Like I don't know where they need to go. I get it. We shouldn't be putting people out onto the street. That's last resort in a lot of ways. That's a last resort. Yeah.

But at a certain point, you know, I'm in that community all the time. All the time. I was just there the other night. I'll just stop and I'll walk my dogs up there. But I'll tell you, I don't see a lot of folks in those communities, right? And so I would encourage anyone who's in that work, who's doing that work, get out there and walk around the neighborhood. Talk to folks standing outside. Figure out what they really want, what they really need.

What is their real perspective? Because I think there's a void there, especially with conversations around policing. I have not one time since I've been in this community have ever heard from any of these communities that are disproportionately affected by violent crime that they want less police. Not one time. I hear the complete opposite. And so I think we need to be telling their story because it doesn't seem like anyone is. And those who claim they're telling their story, I'd ask when was the last time you were in that neighborhood? Can I point one thing out about what he just said? And this is a little bit nuanced, but it's really important to me.

When the chief talks about policing and people wanting more police, what people don't understand about what he just said, the way he means those words is procedurally just policing. And that starts at the top and filters all the way down to the patrol officer that's been here for four weeks. And that's what's been gotten right that has not always been great. And the department's doing a wonderful job. But the way that officers walk around and interact and engage with people with respect, and it's just very important for everyone listening and watching to understand that that just doesn't happen. There's leadership and vision that communicates the way in which we police and the way in which those communities will accept being policed and that's a very important thing that I just want to emphasize and

Jerry it wasn't hard to get by and to do that mm-hmm I'm gonna tell you right now do you they just the organization just needed some type of stability. They needed a clear direction. And I didn't need to do that. They just, like, we created a strategic plan that laid out what we're going to do, how we're going to do it, a clear mission, vision, and values of the organization that is baked into everything we do. And then hiring the right people. Yeah. Just the folks we're hiring, the folks we're bringing in,

the folks within that building in the Charlottesville Police Department are just by far some of the best I've ever worked with. I love to hear that. Like I said, I've been here for 24 years, and I remember as a first, second, and third year at UVA, West Haven, everyone knew that went to UVA, was a spot that students did not go. And it's not fair. West Haven is a wonderful community.

It was a mischaracterization. A mischaracterization based on folklore and fear and misrepresentation. 100%. I 100% agree with you. We talked about this pre-production, pre-show. Definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result. 24 years I've been in this community, and I've seen the same hot spots when it's come to crime. And, you know, like you, 22 years in the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, 24 for me in Charlottesville. I go from troublemaker in Charlottesville to engaged guy, married man, father of two.

And priorities have changed. And now I was watching a show yesterday. And one of the shows I was watching, something bad happened to a five-year-old little girl in the show and I was crying up as a father. I can't even watch content anymore that has kids in a bad spot because I just see it through my boy's eyes. I love them so much.

The reason I'm asking about the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is it's the same pockets that continue to cause the issues. um and just community members are wondering what can we do to solve it yeah so well again like joe said i wish i had that that that one answer i don't think there is one answer i think there's a lot involved like we just talked about getting to those root causes right investing in housing and and all that other stuff. It seems like we continue to create pockets in the city for some reason,

and maybe there's a reason behind that. Again, beyond my knowledge base, to be honest with you. But we've got to do something. We've got to continue to invest in people and places, right? And what I mean by that is continue to invest in those areas where we're seeing that stuff, but maybe step back and take a different look. I don't know, you know. It's not a lot of people either, Jerry.

I got to tell you, we're talking about maybe 20 folks who we have identified as prolific offenders, right, and as part of our Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative and under the focus deterrence models, one of the things we've done is identified a group of about 20 prolific offenders. They're scored, right? And so, you know, eventually we're going to be doing these call-ins where we call them in and really say, hey, man, listen, we need to figure this out. Like, what do you need to help you and go through it? We just had a meeting last week on this to make sure we have the capacity. When they say they need these services, then we can actually provide them.

So that's being built out. But, yeah, I mean, these are tough conversations and complex conversations that a lot of people have to be involved in. You mentioned John Sayles, executive director of CRHA. How does that dynamic work with the police department and is there a dynamic relationship with say an Executive Director of CRHA, maybe Sunshine at PHA with the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office or is there a bit of distance there? I don't have any distance with John Sayles or CRHA. We have a very good relationship, and the whole board of either CRHA or FAR.

That relationship is so important. I guess there used to be some type of tension there. Tension like that doesn't benefit anybody, and it sure as hell doesn't benefit the folks who live in that community. And so we've worked really hard to break that down and to really build back those relationships. Same question for you, Joe. We don't really have a close relationship. I wouldn't say there's a distance or a reason for it.

I think just the natural point of contact is law enforcement, and then they will pass it on to us, and we'll become involved and then work as a team on whatever problem might present itself. But we're certainly very interested in the quality of life of the majority of people that live in these neighborhoods that aren't doing anything. Here's an intriguing question for you that's come from the viewers and listeners, and I'll get to some of those comments right now. Kevin Higgins, who's watching in Greenwood, is giving both you gentlemen significant props

for what you've done for this community. This question's come via Facebook for Joe. How have you seen the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office change for the best, change for the good, or change for the worst in your time in the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office? So one of the things I've seen change for the better is, and I'll really put this on a lot of how I used to prosecute when I was younger, we have come to view incarceration as a last resort, not a first option. I think we've really gotten away from, you know, the usual, the way you usually do

business is, you know, lock someone up for, you know, petty larceny or drive suspended. So I think we've really focused on, I mean, the jail population is at the lowest level it's been in 30 years, but there's been a corresponding decrease in crime. So if you lower the jail population and your crime rates skyrocket, that's nothing to brag about. So I think we've really understood and been very selective about when we rely on and recommend incarceration. That's been a good thing. One of the things that's, I don't know if it's gotten worse, but I think there's an increased awareness around vicarious trauma

that the people doing this sort of work, first responders, prosecutors, absorb. And so I think we're starting to grapple with some really tough mental health consequences for doing this work over a prolonged period of time. So that's kind of both good and bad. This question comes up from time to time, and I've heard you handle it very well. The folks that say maybe we need to be tougher on crime, how do you respond to that? I would want to know what people mean when they say that. If it's longer periods of incarceration and more significant sentences, my response to that would be here.

He didn't work for 20, 30 years. Commonwealth attorney, Mr. Jim Hingely, Jim Hingely routinely watches and listens to the show. Yeah. We get comments from Mr. Hingely during the show, and I love, he's always getting me thinking, he's always offering a different perspective that we're not covering. One of the commonalities, Mr. Hingely, and you guys have,

is your stance on how the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office should go about prosecuting crime. It is one, I don't want to use the word second chance or for empathy, but it's one that's based on what are opportunities we can do besides incarceration as the first priority in a lot of cases, right? I mean, that topic has been sent to me on the feed here about the tough on crime, second chance. I wanted to give you an opportunity to respond. Yeah, we could spend hours on this. So Jim hired me when he opened

the public defender's office here as one of the original assistant public defenders. Jim's a mentor of mine. And I want to be real clear. What I'm about to say, a lot of prosecutors disagree with and say, look, you commit a crime, you do the time, that's your job. Joe, what you're doing is engaging in social work that's not part of being a prosecutor. And I respect people that have a differing view, but I'm the one running the office in Charlottesville, and this is what I believe and what I think. So there's so much discretion vested in a prosecutor, too much. It's scary. And we don't,

I wouldn't say we're making it up, but we're making the best judgments we can, but we just don't know. We don't know when someone, if given a chance, is going to go out and hurt someone. And we think about that every day. But we also don't know when we extend our hand to somebody when they're going to grab it and be pulled up and turn their life around and do better. There's countless examples of people that are given a chance by a prosecutor or a judge through great defense advocacy that turn their life around and are now community leaders. So it's art, not science. And we struggle with it every day. We make mistakes and we get it wrong. But my general view is to sort of believe in the good in

people and see the potential in them. And there are certain instances where you look at history, you look at background, you look at the facts of a certain offense, and it calls for a lengthy period of incarceration, but that's the minority of what we do. So I guess the best way I can answer the critics that say, you know, you should be more law and order, tougher on crime, lock people up for longer, maybe they're right. I don't know.

I'm just doing the best with what I got and what I think is right and fair for this community. And that's probably the best I can do with that question. I respect that. I respect that. Chief, I see the wheels turning over there. Well, I'm going to try to not get myself in trouble here. No, go do it.

Do it. Get in trouble. Well, because I push back a lot with people. I say, hey, I'd be tough around. Like, what does that even mean? Like, what do you mean by, hey, what's tough on crime even mean? Like, my officers go out here every night, every day, wrong. What does that even mean? What do you mean by, hey, what's tough on crime even mean? My officers go out here every night,

every day, and they bust their butts. Last night, my officers found on a traffic stop a gun on a convicted felon and a bunch of, what we think might be cocaine or fentanyl. They're doing the

work. That's tough on crime? Yeah, and real quick... Every day, every night. I'm sorry to interrupt. We gotta... I gotta call at 10 o'clock from the sergeant on the traffic stop, and we went into court this morning and asked that that gentleman be held and not released. Like, it happens every day. We had six homicides

last year, right? Six. All six of them. Am I right? All six? Guilty. I attended each one of those sentencing. They're giving them 25 years for these cases. Now, look, there's an argument that, you know, you took somebody's life, right? You should never get out of prison. I get that. But 25 years is what most people get in Virginia for murder, I'm assuming, right? That's about right. It's a pretty lengthy sentence. But I don't know. I just push back on it because we're doing the work. We're out there being tough on crime. You know, you commit a crime in this city, you know, and we get called to, we're going

to investigate it, and if charges are appropriate, we will place those charges, and we'll do our job. Yeah, so I don't know. I know there's a lot, look, in the world of politics, right, we are a polarized nation, right? You're either here or you're here on whatever issue it is. I'm sorry, I'm staying here. And so, you know, all those talking points don't do a whole lot for me. I respect that. I respect that.

How about a question for Chief? The police department and the dynamic with the schools. Yeah, it's a good question, Jerry. So we had this conversation last year. I was asked to come to the school board, kind of talk about what it looked like if they were to ask for SROs again to go back into the schools. I did that. I gave what it would cost. So to hire a police officer right now, the first year is about $200,000. That includes salary benefits, licenses for softwares, all that stuff, and a car, right? And so the cost was way up there. But ultimately, that's a decision the school board has to make. If they want officers in the schools, they've got to ask through their budget process.

Because I don't have those positions. And then we'll make that work. But from the minute that gets approved until that happens, we're talking about a year. Because from the time we hire an officer to the time they're able to be out on the streets,

about a year. I'm a huge SRO fan. As am I. Yeah, I think it's an absolute no-brainer, the SROs. And I just don't understand the pushback. And another thing that I don't understand the thinking of is we're going to have metal detectors at athletic events where there's an attendance of over 250 people,

and then there's pushback from metal detectors at the entrance of schools, which is the highest density of people going through one entranceway. It just makes no sense to me. So I have a very good relationship. I've got to tell you, we are lucky. With Dr. Gurley?

We have Dr. Gurley. He is a rock star. He is thoughtful. He is good. I have just an awesome relationship with him. I think he's done a really, really good job, especially all the stuff that happened last year. I think we've talked about this before, but you talk about the definition of a leader. He stepped up and

did some things about it and made some decisions and has just done a great job. So look, yes, I'm a fan of SROs. I've seen them work. Those relationships built at a very young age I think is valuable. But it's not something, you know, look, we're here and if you want to have that conversation, I'm willing to have it. I also understand if you don't want to have that conversation, then that's fine too. May I add something real quick? Whether there's SROs or not, there's a phrase that you don't hear as much, but the school-to-prison pipeline. One of the things I'm committed to and our office is committed to, again, working with the chief and his team, is school misbehavior stays as a school issue.

Like, we are not interested in arresting and charging kids for stuff happening in schools and bringing them into the juvenile justice system. That is absolutely something we are not interested in doing. And I want everyone... We don't do that now. No. And I mean absent there being like something involving a weapon or an assault where someone is really seriously injured or like a bomb fit or something, we really emphasize the schools handling kids' conduct at school as an administrative matter,

and we have no interest in charging and prosecuting kids. So I want everyone to hear that loud and clear. I respect that, and I think that's how it should be. You guys go about your business from a mindset of common sense, which I just big-time respect. Same way we try to run our businesses is just common sense, which I just big time respect. Same way we try to run our businesses. It's just common sense. Joe, your thoughts on,

and good question for Mike Hodges as well, your thoughts on all the activism in this community. I mean, it's so significant. And it's not like all other communities are similar to what Charlottesville's doing. But now in the 2024, soon to be 2025 world we live in, everyone's got this megaphone and

this platform where they can make their voice heard. Does the activism, is this something that you listen to? Is it something that has an impact? Is it something that is just part of the job? Is it something that is siloed or compartmentalized with how you go about it?

So when I first came here, it took me a little bit to kind of – my first experience with some of that was at that church event. Yeah, that was the fireside chat, the town hall almost. Yeah, a little while. I was so – that was almost two years ago. Yeah, that was awesome. Yeah. I was there. Yeah, you were. You were. two years ago. Yeah, that was awesome. I was there.

Yeah, you were. I think you threw some questions at me, too. It was a good time. As I have gotten to know this community and know the activist community, I've got to tell you, most of them are really good folks. They sincerely care about what they're trying to accomplish. And I think for me, that's the point. And I've built some pretty close relationships with some of them. Careful, you can't out anyone's name without their permission.

People would be surprised. Yeah, folks who I consider friends and that I will sit down and have coffee with and lunch with regularly. And we won't agree on a whole lot, but they're good people. And I just think when you get to know someone personally, right, I can respect that you may have a different view than me on a specific topic. But if I know you're sincere about it, like, and where it's coming from, through your lived experiences, whatever that may be, like, I'm good with that, you know? I mean, they speak for somebody, right? I just think for me, it's important that I'm hearing everyone, right? Because oftentimes, you'll hear something be talking about an issue, and then, you know, I'm in the, you know,

when you're out in the community or when I'm at home and I'm talking to neighbors or whatever, you hear a very different version of it, right? But they speak for somebody. And so I just think an activist community here, they care about this community. This community has been through a lot. Big time. You know? And so, yeah, I have no beef with them. You want to touch on that one, Chef?

Just real quick. It's not always pleasant to be on the receiving end of some of that um but it's part of the job and i think it it pushes you and makes you better and i think a lot of times you can learn if you just listen um and i i always try and finish those conversations with kind of a recognition of the passion with which um they're they're trying to convey their message. And to the point about listening, I don't do the social media stuff. I think the only one you're on is, what, LinkedIn? Well, I'm going to say which ones I'm on,

but LinkedIn is really the only one. You're active on LinkedIn? Yeah, I stay on LinkedIn. Yeah, absolutely. It's a professional thing. But my staff, I have a social media team. Kyle Urban watching the show? team, and they'll. Kyle Urban watching the show.

Yeah, Kyle's great. He is great. But I don't, like, comments that people make. Like, most of the time it's a fake account. Yeah, it's a burner. Or it's some, like, and to me, I just. I deal with this every day. I know, right? So I give anonymous things, like, the credit that they're due.

Right? Which, it's anonymous. And so I can't operate based on social media comments. That's not the right way to operate. It's not the right way to run an organization. Yeah, say it to our face. Yeah, seriously, I'll sit down with anyone. Sit down, come meet with me.

Me too, anyone. Let's have a conversation. But the social media stuff, you're just talking. And to me, come meet with me. Me too, anyway. Let's have a conversation. But the social media stuff, like, you're just talking. And to me, it's just noise. Like, let's have a real conversation. But, yeah, I don't – and I get it. People do that. And that's fine.

I have teenage kids, grown kids. But I can't let it impact how I operate. And nor should – we shouldn't govern that way either. I respect that. I respect that. Gentlemen, we'll wind down the interview by humanizing you guys even more. Just curious how Joe Plantania relaxes, what Joe Plantania likes to do around the community when he's not wearing the Commonwealth's attorney's cap. Well, one of the reasons I'm always walking around with sneakers, with my suits, is I find very therapeutic just walks.

I love going on walks, and it sort of stills my mind, and getting out in some green space, and that's one of the things I really like. And I'm also Italian, so I like good food and wine. Okay. Well, I'm curious. Chief Katchus here, I'm going to embarrass the man a little bit here, is a local celebrity. You stand out in a crowd.

I would bet you if Chief Kott just went out to a restaurant. Go out all the time. My wife and I are all the time. People are going to come, stop by, shake your hand, say hello. I see it a lot with what I do. It's the stop and chats. If we go out on a date, my wife and I, she's like, let's choose to go out on a date

that's a little bit more quiet. A little bit. A little bit of that. I would get that. I would imagine that's happening some with you here. Joe Plantini, do you have that same effect as a Commonwealth attorney? Never. Are you not recognized? No. Really? Fly under the radar? Yeah. How about you, Mike? When you go out, you get stopped. Hold on. I've got to tell a quick story. We were walking down the mall to meet with a small business owner about something. I think you'd been here like a year.

It wasn't that long. About a year. I am telling you, we couldn't go five steps. I've seen it. No one wanted to talk to me or ask me questions. It was all this guy. You don't wear a uniform every day. I kind of see it.

He's humble. It's still true. We couldn't get down the mall. I've seen it. See, he's humble. But no, we can get down the mall. I've seen it with Chief Koch's downtown. So we're out all the time. My wife and I, we go to Maya. We love the happy hour there. Great restaurants, food.

That's one thing that's awesome about this city. It's just so many things to do and great restaurants. But no, I've never been harassed or anything like that. But you get stopped and chatted all the time.

People come to my house and knock on my door. Do they really? They leave notes on it and stuff. I mean, good stuff. Yeah. Christmas cards from folks I don't know.

Would you say he's a marketer's dream? I would say he would be. Yeah. I've said that on previous shows here. If I could build, I could build a strategic campaign around Chief Katchus that I'm quite confident would win him just about any elected office possible.

And you know what I'm saying, right, David? Mayor Mike, I mean, you know, you could run for city. You know, he can legally run for city council, I think. Legally, maybe. Not sure how much longer I'd have a job. All right, gentlemen, we'll close with this. How about some final thoughts? I think the interview has been absolutely fantastic.

Joe, I'll straight up say that on this platform and this show, we'll back and endorse Joe Plantania, third push for commonwealth's attorney. I know that has not been made official. I think if we're reading the tea leaves, we're heading that direction there. But I'm not going to push anymore on that topic. But any closing thoughts for the folks that are watching the show? No, just thanks for all the listeners for tuning in. I think people say this, and it sort of sounds like horse S-H-I-T, but it really is a privilege to serve in this community. It really is, and I think that every day. There's hard days, there's rough times, but it's a privilege to be a public servant in Charlottesville, Virginia.

And I really mean that. I'll echo that. It is a privilege. It is. And, you know, there's a lot counting on us getting things right. You know? And we don't always do it. I'll be the first to tell you we don't always get it right.

But we work pretty damn hard doing it. And just having the team that we have and the folks within our organization I'm lucky I'm fortunate to be able to work with them each and every day so and I appreciate you having us oh yeah I love this and and seriously like anytime I sincerely enjoyed this 50 minutes Joe Plantania and my conscious guys I mean a lot of way we say on this program all the time what we want from government is it to be boring, efficient, and in the background. I think if that's the case, it's a community that's running well. And we've seen 24 years of Charlottesville, me personally, and this is about as stable a ride as it's been in the 24 years I've been here.

And I think it's a testament to these two gentlemen, the council that's on the dais now. Sam Sanders deserves some props for that. Sam Sanders has done a great job. He's done a hell of a job. Not just because he's my boss, but he is solid. I've worked for six different city managers. He's legit. He's legit and he's easy to work for. He's not my boss and I agree. He's good at what he does.

Yeah. Very good. And he came in at a tough time. You got to talk about a tough job just in general? Yeah. Whew. Right, and we had a turnstile in that position before Mr. Sanders took over the job.

So props to you, Sam. I give you sometimes a hard time on the show, but I'm giving you some props right now, Sam Sanders as well. I hope you hear this. Judah Wittkower, I try to give you props all the time. This is the I Love Seville Show on a rainy Wednesday afternoon in downtown Charlottesville. Tomorrow we're back with a storyline that I think is going to get attention with the legacy media after we cover it.

The bubble that is forming when it comes to multifamily housing and apartments is one that you should keep an eye on. We have a number of apartment towers and apartment complexes that have vacancy rates that are escalating high, and banks ain't lending money anymore to build projects like multifamily. And Charlottesville, the University of Virginia, is about to take 750 to 800 second years in 2027, the year 2027, and put them on grounds. That's 800 renters taken out of the tenant ecosystem. Get ready for that story. Thank you kindly for joining us. So long, everybody..