Elrod Prioritizing Safety, Security
Joshua Elrod is seeking a second full term as the commonwealth’s attorney for the city of Buena Vista. He was appointed to the position as the interim commonwealth’s attorney in May 2019 following the appointment of his predecessor, Christopher Russell, as a circuit court judge. Elrod ran in a special election that fall to continue to serve through the remainder of that term and was re-elected in 2021 for his first full term.
Elrod told The News-Gazette he decided to run for re-election because he is “enjoying the job and I believe I can contribute through this work to the well-being of the city.”
“We always prioritize safety in the city and the security of citizens and their property,” he said. “Our office’s additional focus is on the health of the community, particularly dealing with substance use disorder and combating the cycle of domestic violence.”
As part of the effort to address drug-related crime, not just in Buena Vista, but throughout the Rockbridge area, Elrod led efforts to establish the Maury River Recovery Court, which held its first session earlier this year. The recovery court, which received support from Lexington, Buena Vista and Rockbridge County, provides an alternate path for individuals charged with drugrelated crimes, with focus placed on rehabilitation and recovery rather than incarceration.
Prior to becoming the commonwealth’s attorney for the city, Elrod worked as an attorney in private practice in the Rockbridge area for 20 years. His family moved to the area in 1984 and he graduated from Lexington High School in 1990. He attended Wooster College in Wooster, Ohio for his undergraduate degree and then earned his law degree from the University of Virginia.
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