It’s been a hot topic and as Bridgeport City government is about to have some changes, it remains a hot topic. For several months, Bridgeport City Council has debated over how to take action on a request for manpower for the Drug Enforcement Agency Tactical Diversion Squad assigned to West Virginia’s Northern District for the purpose of targeting opioid abuse. The issue first came to Council nearly a year ago when the DEA requested two positions be funded for the squad to be located in Clarksburg.

 

Councilman Lowell Maxey, a former DEA agent who was instrumental in the establishment of the local TDS, has remained adamant about the city providing manpower in the form of a member of Bridgeport Police Department, which he felt was the responsible thing to do. But majority vote has always leaned toward an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Clarksburg, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office and the Harrison County Commission. Under the two-year contract, Bridgeport – along with Clarksburg – would contribute up to $40,000 annually for TDS manpower to be provided through the sheriff’s department.

 

By a four to three vote – broken by Mayor Bob Greer - Council voted Jan. 23 to enter into said intergovernmental agreement.

 

Immediately following his mayoral victory Tuesday evening, incoming Bridgeport Mayor Andy Lang said he hoped Council would revisit the decision. He said he would like to see the City of Bridgeport revisit what the DEA asked for in the first place – supplying an officer.

 

At Wednesday night’s Council meeting, Greer read a statement regarding the issue; a statement which he called “The Rest of the Story – a DEA-created Fiasco.”

 

He said that when Maxey initially – back in 2015 – advised that the Northern District of West Virginia didn’t have a DEA TDS that he would like Bridgeport to lead the call for its creation. There were questions, including whether the Harrison County Drug Task Force would be called upon for financial support or manpower and that Council was assured that no such requests would be forthcoming. Greer also said he, too, as mayor and officer of the West Virginia Municipal League was active in researching why – with the drug problems experienced in our community – a TDS had not been established.

 

When the squad was ultimately established, then came the request for manpower, Greer said.

 

“In fact, they wanted to pick our best and brightest from our existing experience and trained officers to train as DEA TDS squad members,” he said.  

 

Greer said that cynics point to his personal past and discount that he is not a supporter of the DEA and that nothing could be further from the truth.

 

“I think drug dealers should be arrested and punished,” he said.

 

Greer went on to say that when he became mayor nearly three years ago, one of the first matters at hand was to convene a group within the city to examine how as a community we could better address drug addiction and related issues. That effort ultimately led to the city’s support of Drug Free Clubs of America at Bridgeport High School, as well as the drop box for prescription drugs at City Hall. He said the TDS was identified as another weapon to attack the drug war, but that it is not by itself a cure.

 

Greer said the issue is not, like many think, just about the money - $40,000 that Bridgeport approved spending on a match with Clarksburg so that the sheriff’s department could supply the manpower versus $60,000 for Bridgeport to assign one of its own officers. He said the DEA wants as many as eight additional officers from the Northern District of West Virginia and that no other law enforcement agency in the state has assigned an officer. He said that although Maxey did not make any suggestions during the budget session regarding the funding, he has told the County Commission that Bridgeport should follow his direction and hire another officer to assign.

 

“The past several months, a Bridgeport Councilperson has not only been a vocal minority on this Council, but has taken it upon himself to champion the DEA Tactical Diversion Squad without regard to the majority of Council,” said Greer, referring to Maxey.

 

Greer publicly said that Maxey– two weeks ago – spoke on behalf of Council against the current funding proposal to the Harrison County Commission, which hasn’t yet approved the intergovernmental agreement. Greer said majority vote controls the actions of the city and that it was inappropriate for Maxey to speak against the intergovernmental agreement proposal.

 

Maxey remains confident in his actions and said as the vote to enter the intergovernmental agreement was split three-to-three with Greer breaking the tie, he was not a vocal minority.

 

“I concede it was a majority vote, but not a unanimous vote,” he said.

 

Maxey also said Greer was told by the DEA when the proposal was floated that it was not in line with how they staffed task force operations and that he (Maxey) told him the same.

 

“The proven concept for these task force operations is simple. No one knows the problems and/or targets for these cases as they pertain to Bridgeport better than an officer from the Bridgeport Police Department,” Maxey said. “A Bridgeport Police Officer brings a unique perspective and knowledge of the city like no one else can.”

 

Plus, Chief Walker has a seat at the table with the DEA that gives him an equal voice as the sheriff or any other chief whose department participates, Maxey said.

 

Maxey said he does not feel he was acting outside of his authority in writing an op ed (that appeared recently in the local newspaper) voicing his opinion on the matter or vocally at a County Commission meeting.

 

“I work for the citizens of Bridgeport who elected me, not the mayor or City Council,” he said. “It is always nice when we are in unanimity as a governing body, but that is not always going to be the outcome on an issue. That's the democratic process. Those holding elected positions often write op eds and go out leading the charge for the minority. That's all I did.”

 

Greer said if Maxey would not have spoken out against the proposal, the DEA TDS would have its additional officer.

 

“It is claimed that the DEA and our minority councilperson know ‘the right way to staff a DEA tactical diversion squad,” Greer said. “Well, they have had over 30 years to get it right and we have a worse drug problem today than we have ever had. Maybe it is time to try something a little different.”

 

Greer said he would like to sit down and talk about the issue with Maxey and incoming Mayor Andy Lang.

 

“I certainly welcome a sit down with the new mayor and the outgoing mayor and told Bob I accepted the invitation,” Maxey said. “Throughout this debate, I have never gotten personal and I stuck to debating the issue.”

 

The DEA has spent millions of dollars to bring this valued asset to the Clarksburg area, Maxey said.

 

Maxey said he has broad shoulders and Greer can criticize him if he wants, but for him to call this issue a ‘DEA FIASCO’ and criticize a federal law enforcement agency in a public forum is unprofessional and certainly does not put the city in a positive light. He said he believes Greer owes the DEA a public apology.

 

“I'm passionate about this because I've supervised a DEA task force and I know what I'm trying to do is best for the citizens of Bridgeport to combat the opioid epidemic,” Maxey said. “The mayor has zero expertise in law enforcement operations and particularly drug law enforcement operations. He should heed the advice of those who do. That is real leadership.”