CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Commission approved the hiring of four deputies for the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and funding for the West Virginia State Police for overtime and communications equipment.
The approval was made at the commission’s meeting Thursday. The additional county deputies will be put in “high-crime areas,” according to commission president Kent Carper.
“The sheriff’s department is just overrun with calls,” he said. “It’s not just the opioid and the drug crisis. It’s domestic violence. It’s shootings. It’s time to do something with our law enforcement.”
The additions come as a result of cutting civilian positions with the sheriff’s office, which was approved by the department.
The commission also approved $38,000 for the West Virginia State Police, which is split to $25,000 for overtime patrol units and $13,000 for purchasing air cards and booster equipment for communication purposes.
“They are just so undermanned right now,” he said. “There used to be a detachment in Cross Lanes. They closed it. The idea is to improve the State Police in the county.”
Carper said both additions will better help authorities serve and protect.
“The State Police simply don’t have the manpower to assist right now like they used to,” he said. “They’re going to have two new classes, but that’s going to take a long time to get them out on the road.”