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Henrico police always carry tobacco

Ray McAllister

Monday, July 13, 1998

Cheesy headline, but you'll see what we mean.

We've written here about Henrico County's requirement that new police officers not only forswear the use of tobacco on the job but off it, too -- and then printed reader complaints about the off-duty policy.

Now comes an overlooked irony. It came in the other day from "a concerned citizen" who e-mailed:

"Take a look at the Henrico Police patch. It has a picture of Pocahontas, Corn, and that illegal substance (for police only), TOBACCO. . . . That seems a little hypocritical to me. Officers cannot use the 'T' word but wear it on their patch every day."

It's true -- Pocahontas, corn and tobacco are all on the county seal, shown on the police patch.

The county explains on its Website that the seal goes back to 1942 or 1943, with variations. The current one was adopted in 1984. It portrays Pocahontas, who married Englishman John Rolfe, the developer of Virginia tobacco. The Indian corn and Rolfe's tobacco represent the bridging of cultures, as does Pocahontas herself.

Anyway, we may need an updated police patch.

How about a red circle around the tobacco with, of course, a diagonal line through it.

Ray's column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Readers can write him at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Box 85333, Richmond Va. 23293, or 775-8028 (fax), or rmcallister@timesdispatch.com (e-mail).