Bridgeport Mayor Robert “Bob” Greer said it’s likely at the next City Council meeting that a formal vote will be taken to fund a position for the DEA Tactical Diversion squad that was recently put in place for the Northern District of West Virginia.

 

For several months, Council has weighed the request of the DEA to supply as many as two officers to the force. However, some City Council members felt that the burden may be too much financially and didn’t want to act in any manner until other municipalities were approached about contributing to the potential staff of the new squad.

 

At last night’s Bridgeport City Council meeting, Greer said that officials from Bridgeport, Clarksburg, the Harrison County Commission and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department recently met about funding personnel for the squad. At that meeting an inter-governmental agreement was reached – still needing formal approval – among the groups in question. Clarksburg made the first formal commitment at its Council meeting last Thursday.

 

Clarksburg is providing a maximum of $40,000 to the squad. Bridgeport, said Greer, will ask Council to do the same.

 

“(Clarksburg) matched Bridgeport’s (unofficial) commitment of $40,000. I think the majority of Council will be agreeable (to approve up to $40,000),” said Greer.

 

Greer said the office of newly elected Harrison County Sheriff Robert Matheny would make the announcement on the direction that body would head with the unit.

In late August, DEA Group Supervisor Daniel Mavromatis  started his request for manpower and/or funding from municipalities. More than four months later, he may soon have his answer.

 

The TDS was announced in May of last year. The primary goal of the group is to target rogue doctors, distributors and pharmacists involved in peddling prescription narcotics. They also target “run-of-the-mill” drug trafficking organizations and assist, as needed, with other agencies working other drug cases and situations.

 

If all works out as Mavromatis hopes, the group will include two DEA agents, two investigators, a group supervisor (which is Mavromatis) and eight task force agents. The task force agents will be provided for by cities in the Northern District of West Virginia stretching from Clarksburg and Bridgeport to Wheeling.

 

Council has been split on funding and issues involving manpower; most recently coming up with a 4-3 way to move forward at the December 19 meeting. Council members Diana Marra, Jeff Smell and Dustin Vincent voted for funding in this manner, while members Lowell Maxey, Hank Murray John Wilson voted for it. Greer casted the deciding vote to move forward with a plan to fund the personnel as opposed to providing a Bridgeport officer to the new squad. Greer had said he would switch his vote if the funding mechanism that appears to have gotten the green light didn’t acquire funding.

 

More from this meeting later on Connect-Bridgeport.com.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Bridgeport Mayor Robert "Bob" Greer at Monday's meeting, while Council member John Wilson, left, is shown listening to the DEA's Daniel A. Mavromatis at the August work session of Council.