Law Enforcement Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

New Southern W.Va. Law Enforcement Grants Highlight Mental Health Issues And ‘Dementia Walkaways’

Several million dollars in U.S. Department of Justice grants, divided among various community law enforcement incentives and programs, are coming to communities in southern West Virginia.

Several million dollars in U.S. Department of Justice grants, divided among various community law enforcement incentives and programs, are coming to communities in southern West Virginia. The grants were announced by U.S. Attorney for West Virginia’s Southern District Will Thompson at a press conference in Huntington Tuesday.

The Huntington Police Department (HPD) is the biggest winner, receiving four grants totaling $1,872,620.

The “Kevin and Avonte Program” awards $150,000 to help reduce the injury and death of missing individuals with dementia by using locative technology to prevent wandering emergencies.

”Dementia walkaways” have become a persistent West Virginia problem and challenge. Huntington Police Chief Phil Watkins said his department will partner with local health care providers to identify individuals that are most suited for this program.

“We’re going to provide the locator technology, the actual equipment, as well as the software,” Watkins said. “The way that’s going to work is the clients, so to speak, who received this locative technology, their family and loved ones will have access the same as we do to the locator software, so the family can be checking along with the police.”

Titled the “Byrne Jag Earmark,” a $692,000 congressionally appropriated award from U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., will fund community policing endeavors for the Huntington Police Department. This will include the salaries of an additional Mental Health Liaison, Community Outreach Coordinators, tactical medicine training for surrounding agencies and more.

A Community Oriented Policing Grant of $380,620 will be used to expand HPD’s Crisis Intervention Team operations from a daytime schedule to evening and off-hour operations. HPD will use the funding for a full-time mental health worker and a part-time community outreach coordinator.

Watkins said it is vital for his officers to know how to deal with substance abuse disorders, mental health issues and often, the combination of both.

“The more information that our officers have,” Watkins said. “The better trained they are. That is so that they can identify the difference in behaviors and what they’re dealing with.”

The fourth Huntington initiative grants $650,000 to the Improving Adult & Youth Crisis Stabilization and Community Reentry Program. This award will fund the Huntington Police Department’s “Turn Around” program. This program will partner with Prestera Behavioral Health Care to send mental health case managers into Western Regional Jail to prepare inmates for their release back into society.

Thompson also announced several other southern West Virginia communities that received grants.

The Beckley Police Department received a $625,000 grant, the Mercer County Sheriff’s office received a $375,000 grant and the Logan County Sheriff’s office received a $573,261 grant to hire additional police officers.

The Mercer County Sheriff’s office received a $400,000 grant and the Wyoming County Sheriff’s department got a $300,000 grant for crisis intervention team development.

The Milton Police Department received a $63,000 grant for live scan fingerprint equipment and the Charleston Police Department is receiving a $750,000 grant for a training simulator.

Jewish Fears, Zero Hate Crime Tolerance Highlight W.Va. Antisemetic Law Enforcement Training

Federal officials say antisemitism in America is up 400 percent since the Hamas-Israel War began a month ago, and West Virginia law enforcement is on high alert.

The U.S. attorneys for the northern and southern districts of West Virginia partnered Monday with the American Jewish Committee and the FBI to conduct antisemitism training for state law enforcement.

In his welcoming remarks, Rabbi Victor Urecki spoke with a voice of fear and a heart of hope. He told those gathered at his B’nai Jacob Temple in Charleston that his once open day and night temple doors, now stayed locked. He said his congregation has endured active shooter training, his temple has security alarms, and there’s now a police presence during the Jewish High Holy Days.

“That is not the way America is,” Urecki said. “I think if we can find the causes of this, find what we can do to tamp down that hate and let it go back down into the ground as opposed to being as violent as we’ve seen it today.”

West Virginia Southern District U.S. Attorney Will Thompson was the training host in Charleston. Northern District U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld joined in virtually from Wheeling. Thompson said this training was planned for months. He said before the war began on Oct. 7, hate crime preparedness was preventive, now it’s alarmingly vital.

“I regret that we still have Nazis as part of our news cycle,” Thompson said. “That’s really sad, but we are seeing it. We want them here to realize what antisemitism is and how to recognize signs of it. People might not realize it, when they first initially see it.”

The FBI is the lead agency for hate crime violations. FBI Agent Tony Rausa referred to a Charleston neighborhood. He said antisemetic red flags can be raised beyond hate inspired rallies.

“There were individuals disseminating some messages of hate along the west side,” Rausa said. “We saw someone dropping leaflets in plastic bags with some material indiscriminately throwing them out across people’s properties. We want to be able to look into that and figure out what’s going on behind the scenes to see if there is a greater message of hate that we’re not seeing on the surface.”

An FBI agent and two law enforcement officers attend antisemitic training.

*Credit: Randy Yohe/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department Captain Eric Drennan said his team is ready in case any hate crime rally might get out of hand.

“People come out and do their protests and are usually well behaved,” Drennan said. “We do have contingency plans in place in case something out of the ordinary would happen.”

All involved in the training said the Jewish defense of Israel is a fight against Hamas terrorism. Thompson said he’s been reaching out to those of the Muslim faith as well, to make sure they are protected. He said West Virginia authorities will have no tolerance of any hate crimes, including Islamophobia.

“This is not a war against the babies of Palestine, the children and families of Palestine,” Thompson said. “This is a war against terrorists. We want to make sure people understand that. We want to make sure all parts of our community live together, work together, prosper together.”

Urecki said he hopes those attending the training here, and joining from around the state virtually, would leave this gathering with a sense of purpose – and hope.

“As members of the Jewish community right now, we’re scared,” Urecki said. “We’re scared from what we’re seeing from the far right and from the far left regarding a dramatic rise of hatred and antisemitism. What we are seeing here today is an outpouring of a sense of responsibility and a sense of urgency that we must try to see what we can do to help create peace among all peoples.”

Both Thompson and Urecki said they were sad that a law enforcement presence was required outside the temple, protecting those attending this training.

U.S. DOJ Awards More Than $6 Million To Law Enforcement Across The State

The grants and programs are meant to support law enforcement, bolster forensic science research, as well as prevent and respond to crimes against children.

The U.S. Department of Justice will distribute $5.8 million to 16 law enforcement programs across the state.

The grants and programs are meant to support law enforcement, bolster forensic science research, as well as prevent and respond to crimes against children.

The largest individual award is more than $3 million from the DOJ’s Law Enforcement Transition to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) to Improve Hate Crime Reporting Program to Full Circle Training Solutions, a law enforcement training firm in Morgantown.

The Berkeley County Commission will receive $1 million for school safety from the DOJ STOP School Violence Program, which is designed to assist local and state authorities in improving efforts to reduce violent crime in and around schools.

The DOJ Research and Development in Forensic Science for Criminal Justice Purposes Program awarded West Virginia University more than $500,000 for the development of methods for the identification and analysis of forensic evidence for criminal justice purposes.

Wyoming, Mercer, Randolph, Berkeley and Fayette Counties as well as Clarksburg, Elkins and Morgantown will each receive a DOJ Assistance Grant averaging $15,000.

W.Va. Law Enforcement Agencies Celebrate National Night Out

Tuesday, Aug. 1 marks National Night Out — an event celebrated by law enforcement agencies across the country.

The initiative will bring together community members and law enforcement across West Virginia with the goal of building positive relationships and creating safer neighborhoods.

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District William Ihlenfeld will celebrate by attending the event at locations across the state.

Ihlenfeld plans to visit the following cities:

Wheeling: Wheeling Park Ice Rink from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Clarksburg: Veteran’s Memorial Park from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Bridgeport: The Bridge Sports Complex beginning at 6 p.m.
Martinsburg: War Memorial Park main pavilion from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Ranson: The Home Depot at Potomac Marketplace from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

“National Night Out showcases first responders and strengthens the bonds between police and the communities they serve,” Ihlenfeld said.

Events include food booths, swimming, games, face painting, educational materials and giveaways. It also provides an opportunity for members of the public to interact face-to-face with safety responders.

New Allegations, Justice Response In WVSP Hidden Camera Probe

The latest legal complaint concerning the West Virginia State Police hidden camera investigation outlines an alleged culture of misconduct towards women, with accusations of sexual assault and concerns over reforms.

The latest legal complaint concerning the West Virginia State Police (WVSP) hidden camera investigation outlines an alleged culture of misconduct towards women, with accusations of sexual assault and concerns over reforms.

The complaint filed in Kanawha County Circuit Court alleged that there were multiple victims and named multiple defendants involved in a hidden camera placed in the State Police Academy women’s locker room beginning in 2015.

Bryan Edwards, a Morgantown attorney and member of the legal team, is representing 70 West Virginia female law enforcement officers who trained at the academy and used the women’s locker room. He said evidence shows that beyond an invasion of privacy, male academy individuals exploited women.

“They preyed on the cadets,” Edwards said. “Making allegations that if they wished to get through the academy, then they would be subjected to their unwanted advances.”

The internal State Police investigation into the hidden camera incident has been underway for more than three months. Edwards said some defendants named in the complaint continue to work there.

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In a media briefing on Wednesday, Gov. Jim Justice voiced frustration with no investigation findings yet, and acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations and had a message for the 70 West Virginia plaintiffs.

“A million apologies,” Justice said. “There’s no excuse. It’s ridiculous stuff that has happened. For 70 women, maybe there’s a goodly percentage that this did not happen to, but can you just imagine not knowing?”

Edwards believes the internal investigation will not change an alleged culture of sexism and coverups.

“It doesn’t appear that some of the bad actors that we know have had any type of consequences at all,” he said. “So my faith in the internal investigation is very limited.”

Justice said he has full faith that the State Police hidden camera probe will resolve the issue, and said reforms have already been instituted. But he also said he has limited patience.

“I really do believe that those changes are either happening, or have already been made,” Justice said. “We have investigations going on and I think we got to let that play out. But I’m not comfortable with all the bad stuff that’s happened. I want to see action. I have the most confidence in the State Police and love them with all my soul. But we don’t need to keep messing around with this. We need to move and move as swiftly as we possibly can.”

Edwards said his clients have seen no evidence of reforms at this point.

“If someone is feeling that they are being harassed or mistreated, that there was something outside, they can go and express those concerns,” Edwards said. “And it’s not just going to be the status quo, which I think has been the issue down there for years.”

Wheeling attorney Teresa Toriseva was one of the first to file a “notice to sue” the state government entity on behalf of multiple female law enforcement officers. All law enforcement officers, such as local police and sheriff’s deputies, train at the WVSP Academy and use the locker room and shower facilities.

State Police have offered no timetable for investigation results, saying due diligence is their utmost concern.

West Virginia Public Broadcasting asked the State Police for an update on both the investigation and reforms instituted but did not receive a response before this story was published.

First Medal of Valor Awards Granted To Seven First Responders

Seven first responders received the state’s first round of Medal of Valor awards during a ceremony Wednesday afternoon.

The state legislature created the award, and the board that grants it, in 2021.

“Too often, they’re underpaid. Too often, they’re underappreciated,” Gov. Jim Justice said during the ceremony. “We need to do something about that, don’t we? And we need to show them, not only that we appreciate them, and that they’re deserving of fair wages, but we also need to show them just how much that we will never forget them.”

The Medal of Valor was created to be awarded to firefighters, emergency medical services personnel and law enforcement “who distinguish themselves conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their lives above and beyond the call of duty in the performance of their duties,” according to state code.

Del. Daniel Linville, R-Cabell, helped present the award in honor of Woody Williams, who requested the state create it.

“He wanted this honor removed from the political process,” Linville said. “He didn’t want one person to be able to award the state’s highest honor. He wanted it to follow the process that the Medal of Honor follows nationally.”

This year’s recipients include Patrolman Cassie Johnson, Corporal Marshall Bailey, Trooper Eric Workman, Deputy John Westfall, Sergeant Thomas E. Baker III and firefighters John Dean Forbush and James W. Spencer.

Five of the recipients, including Johnson, Bailey, Workman, Baker and Forbush were granted the award posthumously. Their families were in attendance to accept the award on their behalf.