LURAY, Va. — The Page County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) is responding to controversy surrounding two recent law enforcement operations that received media attention.
In a statement released August 28, 2026, Sheriff Chad Cubbage addressed the department’s use of drug interdiction operations, K-9 teams and partnerships with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
Cubbage said those tactics are intended to combat illegal drugs and identify potentially dangerous individuals, while emphasizing that people suspected of crimes are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The sheriff issued the following statement via the PCSO Facebook page:
Two PCSO law enforcement operations that have received media attention recently have gained that attention because of the controversy and politics surrounding them, not because our deputies acted unlawfully.
The law is the law.
We don’t get to pick and choose which laws we enforce or who they apply to based on someone’s occupation, status, political beliefs, or opinion of that law.
Every operation we have conducted has been carried out lawfully.
Part of combating illegal drugs and removing dangerous people from our county is through conducting drug interdiction operations and partnering with Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement agencies.
When these operations are underway, we have a K-9 team in the area so they can be deployed within minutes when needed during a lawful traffic stop.
Drug interdiction is one of the tools available to assist law enforcement in identifying illegal drugs and keeping them off our streets.
I understand that some people will be offended by these operations, some will be angry, and others will understand that our deputies are simply doing the job they were sworn to do.
I also know the vast majority of our citizens want us to use every lawful resource available to combat the drug problem in our community.
Drugs have consistently been the TOP concern we hear from our citizens and addressing that problem requires proactive law enforcement.
Drug interdiction operations are part of that process. They are never intended to intimidate, embarrass, or humiliate anyone.
Importantly, EVERYONE IS PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY. That is exactly why suspected narcotics or other substances recovered during an investigation should be submitted to a laboratory for proper analysis.
A K9 alert and an officer’s observations can provide probable cause for further investigation, but laboratory testing provides the scientific confirmation needed to determine exactly what, if any, controlled substance is present.
And again, I want to be clear: should there ever be evidence that one of our officers carried out an operation unlawfully, violated someone’s rights, or failed to follow our policies and procedures, it would be addressed immediately.
I will hold our officers accountable when the facts warrant it, just as I will stand behind them when the facts show they acted lawfully and did their jobs properly.
At the end of the day, our goal is not to embarrass anyone, make headlines, or create controversy. We apply the law fairly and equally to everyone, regardless of race, religion, occupation, political beliefs, social status, or position within the community.
Our goal is to keep drugs off our streets and keep Page County a safe place to live, work, raise our families, and call home.
We will continue listening to our community, holding ourselves accountable, and doing everything within the law to protect the people we serve.
We appreciate your support and understanding.
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