State of West Virginia Archives: on Crime
Earl Ray Tomblin:
Texting while driving now illegal; add phoning & drugs
Texting while driving is now illegal and on July 1st talking on a hand-held phone while driving will be against the law. We've kept our promise to make eliminating substance abuse a top priority--and now--laws are on the books to shutdown "pill mills"
and stop "doctor shopping." We listened to our communities and invested in drug treatment programs--and we told those who need free job training that they must pass a drug test--first. We must continue to support our law enforcement officers and give
them the tools they need to protect us, our families, and our communities. We know that driving under the influence of alcohol is a serious problem, but so is driving under the influence of drugs. Tonight, I'm proposing legislation to make it
clear that officers have implied consent upon reasonable cause. When drivers who are under the influence of drugs are pulled over, they can be properly identified, tested, and removed from our roadways.
Source: 2013 State of the State Address to W.V. Legislature
Feb 13, 2013
Jeff Kessler:
More state prisons; also penalties other than incarceration
Kessler indicates support of the following principles regarding crime.- Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and hiring of additional prison staff.
- Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related
skills and job-placement assistance when released.
- Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
- Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
- Support hate crime legislation.
Source: W.V. Congressional 2008 Political Courage Test
Nov 1, 2008
John Buckley:
Neutral on whether stricter enforcement is effective
Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Stricter punishment reduces crime"?
A: Neutral.
Source: Email interview on 2014 W.V. Senate race with OnTheIssues
Sep 5, 2014
Patrick Morrisey:
$1M more for state police drug testing in criminal cases
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said Tuesday his agency is transferring $1 million to the state police in an effort to end a backlog of drug testing in criminal cases.Morrisey said the transfer was made possible as the result of
settlements with drug wholesalers accused of flooding the state with millions of prescription pain pills.
The State Police Forensic Laboratory examines drug seizures from every police department in West Virginia.
The drug testing backlog intensifies regional jail crowding by affecting bail consideration for suspects. It also adds to county inmate costs. "We have to make sure that we end this terrible backlog," Morrisey said at a news conference.
Morrisey's office also gave the state police $1 million last year to hire additional analysts, offer overtime and purchase necessary equipment. Since 2013, Morrisey has returned more than $39 million to the state's general fund.
Source: US News & World Report on 2018 W.V. Senate race
Oct 3, 2017
Stephen Noble Smith:
Courts, police, schools will track bias, & get help to fix
All state courthouses and police stations will be required to track rates of arrest, prosecution, conviction, and incarceration, by race. All schools will be required to track rates of discipline, suspension, bullying, and preferential treatment,
across various demographics. All state offices will be required to track hiring rates across various demographics. Jurisdictions that demonstrate persistent bias will be given technical assistance to reverse those trends and may lose access to state
funding if they fail to address it. For hundreds of years, Black West Virginians have been robbed of land, fair pay, credit, housing, and freedom, usually with the aid of government. The legacy of racism in America is pernicious and persistent.
A WV Truth and Reconciliation Commission would have the responsibility to propose on-going remedies for that racism.
Source: 2020 W.V. Gubernatorial campaign website WVCantWait.com.com
Jan 24, 2020
Tim Scott:
Losing grants for inaction is defunding the police
We have about a billion dollars in grant money that goes to police. When you start saying in order to receive those dollars, you must do A, B and C. And if you don't do A, B, and C, you literally lose eligibility for the two major pots of money the
Byrne grants and the COP grants. When you tell local law enforcement agencies that you are ineligible for money, that's defunding the police, there's no way to spin that.
Source: CBS Face the Nation 2021 interview of W.V. Governor
Sep 26, 2021
Woody Thrasher:
Hard labor & death penalty for drug crimes
West Virginia must become known as a state drug dealers fear. One of my first acts as governor will be to develop a hard labor penalty for drug dealers. Our law enforcement community feels left out of current efforts to address substance use disorder.
We must encourage all hands on deck. In drug crimes that result in death, including the sale of tainted drugs, when the guilt of a person is established beyond all possible doubt, we should consider the death penalty.
Source: 2020 W.V. Governor campaign website WoodyThrasher2020.com
Dec 13, 2019
JB McCuskey:
Supports putting armed security guards in public schools
McCuskey says public schools should include armed security guards to protect students and staff in the event of an active shooter situation. "This is about protecting immediate safety of a large portion of the students," McCuskey said. "These are people
that are going to be seen as police officers in the schools. They are there to protect the students from outside threats."Having an armed guard at the school could deter a potential shooter from entering the building, McCuskey said.
Source: W.V. MetroNews on 2024 West Virginia Gubernatorial race
Apr 3, 2023
Glenn Elliott:
We have a historically low crime rate for a city our size
Among the many things that Mayor Elliott spoke highly about was the city's public safety. He told the hundreds in attendance for his speech that crime is down in Wheeling. "We have a historically low crime rate for a city our size, especially when it
comes to violent crime." Mayor Elliott said. "We do a very good job in the city when it comes to keeping the public safe."With investments made into public safety, the Wheeling Police Department unveiled their new headquarters recently.
Source: W.V. MetroNews on 2024 West Virginia Senate race
Jul 25, 2023
Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026