As part of a promise to try and take the battle against drug in a new direction, U.S. Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld II and others involved with law enforcement and education in Harrison County unveiled multiple initiatives this morning at the Bridgeport Municipal Complex.

 

Headlining the list is the announcement that free drug testing kits will be available at multiple locations throughout Harrison County. The kits, said Ihlenfeld, are the result of a partnership with Appalachia HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area), of which Harrison County has the unfortunate HIDTA designation.

 

“Being part of HIDTA brings resources to Harrison County; resources we never had before,” said Ihlenfeld.

 

The key resource is the aforementioned drug kits that will be available at 10 locations (listed at end of story) in the county. Ihlenfeld said they can be acquired by anyone and the test works in roughly 20 minutes and is a saliva-based kit that is non-evasive. The kits, although available for anybody, are geared for use by parents with their children.

 

“It’s very easy for parents to administer to children,” said Ihlenfeld. “It will test for substances such as marijuana, cocaine, meth, methadone, PCP, stimulants, opioid pain killers; it will test for all of those substances. Parents will know if there child is using those substances.

 

“This gives young people a reason to say no. There is a lot of peer pressure and often times, they don’t what to say or how to react when someone offers them something at a party,” he continued. “ … They now have a reason. If their parent has this on top of their refrigerator, or someone in the house, they can tell whoever might be pressuring them or might be offering them that they can’t because their parents drug test them.”

 

Ihlenfeld is hoping as many parents and adults take advantage of the program as possible. He said in the event the kits run out that more will be acquired. Bridgeport Police Chief John Walker said the first kit was given out at the City of Bridgeport this morning.

 

“We hope we run out of these,” said Ihlenfeld.

 

Walker said anyone can acquire the test and they’re easy to use. He said along with the testing apparatus that utilizes saliva, a chart is included that show the results and what drug – if any – is being taken along with detailed instructions of how to use the kit.

 

“There are resources included as well. If your child has a positive test, we want you to know here is the help for you. Here is who to call to get help,” said Walker. “ … It’s pretty comprehensive.”

 

For those thinking this is a case of “Big Brother” stepping in or mandatory testing, Walker and other emphasized that’s not the case. Only the parents see the results, he said. HIDTA does include a form to be sent back in a self-addressed stamped envelope for positive results, but that is only to see if the program is working.

 

“There is no name or address section on it,” said Walker, who along with Ihlenfeld said submitting a positive result is not a requirement. “ … There’s no way to track it and no way to know where it came from.”

 

While the program is new to Harrison County, it’s not new to law enforcement. Ihlenfeld said many areas have witnessed youngsters admitting to drug use either prior to a test being administered or before the results are complete.

 

Harrison County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Manchin said he is pleased to see the program. He said the school’s role will be as a distributor of drug testing kits.

 

“We will have these kits available at our high schools and are working with our middle schools to make them available for our parents. We’re just acting as a distribution center point for these test kits. There is no record keeping,” said Manchin.

 

Stonewood Police Chief and Bridgeport resident Robert Matheny, who was joined by Clarksburg Deputy Police Chief James Chamberlain today, emphasized how this plays into early intervention that’s needed. He believes it’s the proper vehicle to meet that need.

 

Ihlenfeld said even if you don’t suspect your child has a drug issue that it would be wise to acquire one. He said the one with him today was the one for his home.

 

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” said Ihlenfeld.

 

The announcement comes on the heels of a recent major drug bust in Harrison County. In July, nearly 100 individuals were arrested for drug involvement.

 

“We hope eventually this will lead us to a point where we have to arrest 87 people and continue to deal with the drug problem we have in northern West Virginia,” said Ihlenfeld.

 

Another program announced was the “Handle with Care” program that is being implemented throughout the region. According to information provided by Ihlenfeld’s office, a system will be “put in place so that school officials will be notified whenever police officers respond to a dangerous or drug-involved situation where a child is present” and that school officials will be notified.

 

“Local law enforcement, that every evening (of an incident), contacts the person at the high school and simply says ‘handle John Smith with care.’ No details need to be given,” said Jo Anne McNemar a prevention specialist with the Harrison County Partnership for Success.

 

At that point, the point of contact can work with others in the school to monitor the child for potential problematic situations in their learning environment. From there, a various set of steps can be taken to help the needs of the student in question.

 

Ken Winkie, Harrison County Schools safety and security officer, is pleased to learn of the “Handle with Care” program.

 

“I’m looking forward to this program to start here,” said Winkie. “I know in some of the investigation I ran you find out there was an incident at the home and we didn’t know about it. To have that information you have a better way of how to deal with that student … and further help them.”

 

Along with that, the Appalachia HIDTA educational trailer will be coming to Harrison County in the near future. Ihlenfeld wasn’t sure of the exact date, but said it would be prior to the arrival of cold weather.

 

The final item unveiled today is that there will be a statewide drug prevention competition and Harrison County will be involved. The purpose of the competition is for students to design educational programming on substance abuse prevention. One school will be named the winner of the contest at a regional competition.

 

Here are where drug kits can currently be picked up in Harrison County:

 

1. Bridgeport Police Department, 515 West Main Street, Bridgeport, WV 26330

2. Stonewood Police Department, 112 Southern Avenue, Stonewood, WV 26301

3. Clarksburg Police Department, 222 West Main Street, Clarksburg, WV 26301

4. Bridgeport Family Pharmacy, 139 Conference Center Way, Bridgeport, WV 26330

5. Community Pharmacy, 1212 Johnson Ave., Bridgeport, WV 26330

6. Salem Colonial Pharmacy, 120 East Main Street, Salem, WV 26426

7. Village Pharmacy, 36 Railroad St., Lost Creek, WV 26385

8. Byard Mercer Pharmacy, 440 W. Main Street, Clarksburg, WV 26301

9. Town & Country Pharmacy, 100 Cost Avenue, Stonewood, WV 26301

10. Harrison-Clarksburg Health Department, 330 West Main Street, Clarksburg, WV 26301

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld, while Chief John Walker opens a drug kit as Stonewood Police Chief Robert Matheny looks on in the second photo. In the third picture, a closeup on the main part of the kit is shown. In the fourth photo, the panel gathered for today's event - from left, Deputy Chief James Chamberlain, Matheny, Walker, Ihlenfeld, Superintendent Dr. Mark Manchin, Harrison County Schools safety and security officer Ken Winkie and Jo Anne McNemar a prevention specialist with the Harrison County Partnership for Success - address the media. Winkie is shown in the bottom photo.