SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Three West Virginia State Police detachments will close at the end of the year.
Effective January 1, 2017, troopers will no longer work out of the Hundred, Grantsville and Elizabeth Detachments.
The Paden City Detachment will cover Hundred’s district. The Clay and Glenville detachments will provide coverage for the Grantsville area. In Elizabeth, troopers with the Parkersburg Detachment will answer calls.
A statement from the WV State Police Office of Public Affairs points to efficiency concerns for the closures.
“While the decisions may seem sudden to members of the affected communities, the West Virginia State Police believes it has a moral responsibility to strive continually to be a good steward of taxpayer money. The decisions were only made after much thought, careful deliberation, and a thorough consideration of alternative courses of action.”
The agency indicates “focusing manpower and resource in a coordinated manner often makes more sense than having resources stretched thinly across the state.”
Troopers will be scheduled to work areas when critical needs arise.