Whenever you get a press release coming from the office of United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announcing a next-day press conference with limited details, it’s a pretty good sign that a major operation has - or is going to - taken place. Such was the case Monday when an email showed up in the inbox alerting media that there would be a 2 p.m. press event at the Bridgeport Municipal Complex.

 

The release described the press conference as addressing an “coordinated law enforcement operation.” For those that were on Connect-Bridgeport Tuesday or just about any other form of media, they know exactly what that event was that took place.

Long before the press conference word was already out of a massive drug operation that resulted in charges against close to 100 individuals. Several media outlets, including “The Mike Queen Show” was reporting about it early in the a.m.  Eventually, I got into the mix as well and was waiting for the impending list of names that would eventually be turned over to the media.

 

It was then that a feeling of dread came over me, and not because law enforcement had done anything wrong. Rather, I had gotten  word that up to 100 individuals were going to be charged and/or arrested as a result of the operation.

 

Thinks about that? In one drug operation focused primarily in Harrison County, there were going to be up to 90 (or as it turned out, 87) individuals charged with drug-related crimes.

 

What, God tell me, has happened to our community? And by community, I mean the collective community and not those defined by a “welcome to” sign.

 

The names released Tuesday may have been primarily of those living in Clarksburg, but they impact everyone from Lost Creek to Bridgeport to Shinnston and beyond. If you think you’re insulated from the epidemic of drug problems in front of yourself based on where you live, you’re not only kidding yourself, you’re setting yourself up for emotional disaster – and that may be the best case scenario if it happens.

 

“We all realized years ago that there are no boundaries when it comes to selling drugs,” said Bridgeport Police Chief John Walker, the chairman of the Harrison County Drug Task Force that was largely responsible for leading yesterday’s operation. “These individuals may be in Clarksburg, but they’re selling drugs in Bridgeport. Bridgeport dealers go to Clarksburg or to Doddridge County or Salem. Anyone that thinks they have some kind of self-imposed boundary is way off base. If you don’t believe that, look at that list and you’ll find someone you know on there.”

 

Walker was right and his comment was exactly what I fear most when getting weekly emails from Ihlenfeld’s office on arrests, indictments, convictions and sentencings involving what are almost always drug cases. It was what I feared when receiving a hard copy of the list. I figured I would know someone.

 

As it turned out, there were many familiar names on the list. Surprisingly, those that I knew I only knew casually. Chances are, however, many of you reading this know folks listed.

 

To be honest, it’s a moot point. Too many times on this site I’ve had to post stories – many self-written – about friends close and casual that have been arrested for problems relating to drugs. Some of those people had great upbringings, were highly intelligent, college educated and with wonderful families. Some came from broken backgrounds, struggled in school and bounced from job to job. Some were a mixture of the things listed above. Basically, like the boundaries in geographical terms mentioned by Walker, there are no drug boundaries on the demographic side either.

 

No matter how you slice, our part of this great state is being eaten up by drugs. And the numbers back that up.

 

“The last data I saw, and I think 2013 and 2014, it was 55 percent of the cases we prosecuted are drug cases,” said Ihlenfeld about work done out of his U.S. Attorney’s office. “It’s a majority. It’s getting close to 60 percent of our cases. I don’t know if that’s (using) all of our resources … but it’s a lot. We’re above the national average as far as U.S. Attorney offices go, which goes to show the type of problem we’re dealing with in West Virginia.”

 

It’s the type of problem that has flooded Harrison County, Clarksburg, Bridgeport and every part in between and beyond. This is still a wonderful place, but it is being covered by a rash of addiction that is spreading despite the best efforts of law enforcement.

 

Regardless of the efforts of law enforcement it has to follow rules that often leave the public frustrated. Walker said it was almost a certainty that people arrested during the raid were released – probably prior to yesterday’s press conference – and back home, which is often based on things such as past criminal records, level of crime charged and flight risk.

 

“I understand the frustration people feel,” said Walker.

 

Walker has been around law enforcement for decades. He has the unique distinction of serving as chief of both the Clarksburg and Bridgeport Police Departments. Few, if any, have the same perspective he’s been privy to during his tenure for this area. Perhaps that’s why, despite the fact he was pleased that everything came together yesterday and there was a “sense of accomplishment,” he couldn’t totally enjoy it.

 

The reason? There’s more work to be done and there, at least from my perspective, doesn’t appear to be an end in sight.

 

“It is,” said Walker when asked if the large number made Tuesday’s activities bittersweet. “I’d like to come to you and say we only have three or four arrests, we don’t see this very often and this is an unusual situation. The reality is that we see it all the time and it’s more the norm.”

 

The norm isn’t something we should accept and we can’t expect law enforcement to be the total answer. It starts at home with good parenting. It starts with being responsible and accountable. If it doesn’t start there, it doesn’t end anywhere. Blaming law enforcement for the overall problem is shortsighted. They're outnumbered and even with all the money that appears to be in play, in reality they're underfunded for the battle they face.

 

I want my old town back. I want a healthy Harrison County.

 

“The number, 87, tells you that you have a serious problem when you get 87 in one roundup. That’s not even everyone selling,” said Walker. “ … This is not the end. This is the beginning.”

 

Of all the salient comments made by those at Tuesday’s press conference, Walker saying it was the beginning is a true testament to the task at hand. It’s also a reminder we’ve got problems that no amount of money or upgrades in the number of police can fix.

 

God help us all.

 

Click HERE for a story on yesterday's drug operation.

 

Editor's Note: Pictured at top is Chief John Walker during Tuesday's press conference, while Harrison County Prosecuting Attorney Rachel Romano and U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld talk prior to the conference. In the third photo, Clarksburg Police Chief Robbie Hilliard makes a point to those gathered, while the bottom picture shows two of several media representatives on hand for the conference.