DATE: Tuesday, October 21, 1997             TAG: 9710210204

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JANIE BRYANT, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   47 lines

PORTSMOUTH SHERIFF SAYS HE'LL NO LONGER USE OFFICE BROCHURES AS CAMPAIGN TOOLS

A public affairs officer and supporter of Sheriff Gary Waters said she no longer will use official sheriff's office brochures as campaign material.

The issue came up when the supporter of another candidate objected at a recent candidate forum to which Lt. Elizabeth A. Aronson, public affairs officer for the sheriff's office, brought a stack of the glossy brochures.

Aronson later was advised to stop using the brochures for the campaign.

The brochures outline the sheriff's office programs in the community, as well as training and other information of interest to potential recruits.

Aronson said she did not ask Waters' permission.

``I just brought them as an informational tool,'' she said.

Aronson added that the sheriff's office would have brought the informational pamphlets to any other civic league meeting and said she felt the complaint was petty.

``It's never been questioned in previous elections, and once I was told it was inappropriate, it was stopped. So we are complying,'' Aronson said. ``But we will use them for non-political meetings that we attend so people know what the sheriff is doing for the community.''

Waters said he did not know that Aronson had taken the brochures to the forum.

``But on the other hand . . . I've been a sheriff for 16 years, and if they can't find any more complaints than brochures, that means I must have done a good job for 16 years,'' he said.

Waters added that at non-election time, the brochures usually are given out whenever he goes to civic leagues, fraternal organizations and other community events to tell the public about the services his office provides.

``Nowhere on the brochures does it say vote for Gary Waters for sheriff,'' he said. ``But I did not take any nor did I hand out any. On the other hand, I don't think it would be improper if I did.''

M. Bruce Meadows, secretary of the state Board of Elections, said that materials such as brochures used for a campaign should have a disclaimer on them stating that they are authorized by the campaign committee.

Meadows added that the law states that any sort of investigation into a violation would be initiated by the local office of the commonwealth's attorney.

``This board would not have the power to do anything about it,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Gary Waters

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