New Police Communication Policy Aims to Tackle Drug Problems

Huntington city council members want to open new lines of communication for police in an attempt to tackle the city’s drug problem.

WCHS-TV reports council members are working on bringing the Appalachian High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area and the Huntington police force into the same communication channels. The Appalachian High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area currently helps connect federal groups such as the FBI with local and state police.

Councilman David Ball is sponsoring an ordinance he says would allow officials to share more information throughout the country and will also help them keep track of high-profile dealers that come to Huntington from different states.

Huntington’s drug policy council director Jim Johnson says involving the federal government is beneficial because local governments don’t have the resources that federal agencies do.