Mike Rutherford and Dave Tucker, both former two-term Kanawha County sheriffs, have a long history - a history they're continuing this spring as each runs for another term as sheriff.
Tucker was elected sheriff in 1996, after a lengthy tenure as a Charleston police officer. Rutherford was elected to replace Tucker in 2004.
In a meeting with Gazette-Mail editors and reporters on Tuesday, Rutherford, 64, made it a point to talk about changes he made in the department upon succeeding Tucker.
Tucker, 80, dug in and defended his actions as sheriff, while challenging recent decisions by Rutherford and his brother, John, who has been Kanawha sheriff since 2012.
Rutherford, who is currently chief deputy in the sheriff's department, said that among his first actions was settling lawsuits and other disputes between the department and other officials under Tucker's administration.
"When we have disagreements, we sit down and talk it over, get it taken care of," Rutherford said. "We don't sue each other anymore, we don't fight and fuss in public. We sit down like gentlemen and do our jobs."
Tucker and Rutherford are running in the Democratic primary. No Republican has filed to be on the ballot.
Rutherford has emerged as the favorite of a number of police organizations in the county. He has been endorsed by the West Virginia Sheriff's Association, the West Virginia Deputy Sheriff's Association, the St. Albans Fraternal Order of Police, the South Charleston Fraternal Order of Police and Charleston Professional Firefighters Local 317.
He also has been endorsed by the Kanawha County Deputy Sheriffs Association. That group's president said he couldn't remember another time it has endorsed a candidate for sheriff.
On Tuesday, Tucker and Rutherford agreed that drugs are a big problem in the county, but their approach to the problem differs.
Tucker noted that he implemented the D.A.R.E. program, which was an anti-drug campaign that began in the 1980s that several studies have shown didn't have an effect on students. Tucker said he'd like to reinstate that program in schools, as part of a system that focuses on education and rehabilitation.
"Your main interest is to make our youth aware," Tucker said. "You're not going to stop somebody from actually doing it. But once you make them aware of it . . . . You're giving them the opportunity to say no."
Rutherford stressed his work in rehabilitation, starting with the county's drug court, which he helped implement with Circuit Judges Jennifer Bailey and Duke Bloom in 2005.
"You can't arrest your way out of this problem," Rutherford said.
Rutherford had little to say about programs in schools, beyond having officers talk to students in classrooms. Most of his efforts seemed focused on rehabilitation and task forces that try to find drugs in the community.
Both Rutherford and Tucker said collaboration is good for the police force, but Rutherford stressed that he has been more successful at increasing communication between departments.
Rutherford cited the Kanawha Bureau of Investigation, which allows detectives to share information on cases, and the East City Patrol, which provides assistance and backup for cities in the Eastern part of the county, as examples of how he has increased collaboration between police departments.
Tucker said he tried to collaborate with other police departments but didn't succeed.
"Yes, I tried to get that, but it was hard to do," Tucker said. "Be thankful that we have that now."
Both lawmen agreed that the state's new law that allows people to carry a concealed gun without a permit is going to make things more difficult for law enforcement.
The new law potentially could decrease money the sheriff makes from concealed-carry permits.
Rutherford talked about how the law undercuts a preventative method that police would use where, if they saw someone with a gun who did not have a permit, they were able to arrest that person.
"We're going to have to turn around and drive away because, unless that person is homicidal or suicidal, we can't do anything about it," Rutherford said.
Tucker talked about the training aspect and how people who don't know how to use guns could be carrying them.
He told a story about how a woman looked into the barrel of a gun to see if it was loaded when he was teaching a gun safety class.
"The law is going to put us at a disadvantage, somewhat," Tucker said. "Because when you see people carrying firearms, you don't know if that individual knows how to load it, let alone knows how to use it."
State law limits sheriffs in West Virginia to two consecutive terms. Rutherford supports overturning that limitation.
"I think the people of the county and the state are smart enough to know who's a good sheriff and who is a bad sheriff," Rutherford said.
Tucker didn't take a clear stance on term limits. "I think, if an individual is in there for an extended period of time, we're all human beings, we become complacent," he said.
Current Sheriff John Rutherford served as chief deputy during Mike Rutherford's tenure as sheriff, before their positions were reversed in 2012. John Rutherford said Tuesday he plans to retire at the end of this year.
Early voting in the primary election begins April 27, and Election Day is May 10.
Reach Daniel Desrochers at dan.desrochers@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-4886 or follow @drdesrochers on Twitter.