CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and State Police Col. Jay Smithers announced funding Friday to accelerate the prosecution of drug offenders by providing much-needed resources to reduce the state Forensic Laboratory’s backlog of drug identification tests.
The move completes the Attorney General’s recent pledge to fight drug abuse by contributing $1 million to ease the backlog. Such a commitment will lead to a significant reduction in the backlog and save counties millions in annual jail costs by expediting criminal trials.
“I commend Col. Smithers’ eagerness to join forces in this fight against our common enemy – drug addiction and abuse,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “Heroin and prescription pill abuse has killed far too many of our state’s citizens. Defeating the epidemic requires a financial commitment and the willingness to partner at all levels of government.”
“This contribution will have an impact far beyond Charleston,” State Police Col. Smithers said. “It is one that touches every state trooper, county deputy and city police officer who yearns for a swift, effective prosecution of their drug arrests.”
The $1 million marks the Attorney General’s second attempt to reduce the drug test backlog. April’s return of $10 million to the General Fund was not used to increase drug treatment and reduce the backlog as requested.
The State Police Forensic Laboratory examines drug seizures from every state, county and municipal police department in West Virginia. Its analysis equips prosecutors with the evidence needed to secure their strongest conviction and punishment.
A backlog exacerbates crowding in the regional jails by affecting bail consideration for suspects and delaying exoneration for the innocent. Reducing that backlog promises to ease crowding and save counties on inmate costs.
The $1 million was transferred Friday from the office’s Consumer Protection Fund, keeping with the Attorney General’s recognition that from a consumer protection perspective, “there is no greater priority than fighting substance abuse.”
The Attorney General previously returned to the General Fund $10 million in April, $5 million in March, $2 million in 2015, $9 million in 2014 and $7.5 million in 2013 – a cumulative tally of $34.5 million to fight substance abuse and help the state’s struggling budget.
