On any given day when the West Virginia Legislature is in during the Regular Session, over 10,000 citizens and employees may inhabit the state Capitol. School children circle around the rotunda as teachers inform students of the accomplished individuals who have graced the Capitol halls. However, many people are unaware of the services currently being provided in the Capitol by some of the hardest working and most experienced individuals West Virginia has to offer.
As part of the Division of Protective Services, employees and citizens are extremely fortunate to share a building with the high functioning State Capitol Police Force.
Prior to 1998, the Capitol was not provided the privilege of having an in-house police department, but it was decided through Senate Bill 170 that visitors, persons conducting business, and employees of the complex should be as safe and secure as possible.
Deputy Director, Kevin Foreman, said that most people don’t realize the importance of the department. “People don’t understand that we’re a small police department,” explained Foreman. “Some of the most experienced people I’ve ever worked with are here, and you won’t find any police department in the state that has more experienced people.”
Some people may also be surprised to learn that the State Capitol Police Force has been very beneficial to the Charleston Police Department throughout the years, and they have reciprocated in assistance. One such incident that required the aid of the Capitol Police involved a hit and run near Greenbrier Street that was caught by one of the many cameras surveying Capitol grounds. “After the incident occurred, we were contacted by Charleston P.D. to review video, and sure enough, you could see the car hit the individual,” explained Division of Protective Services Director, Randy Mayhew. “We were able to get copies of the video to the Charleston P.D. and they had the individual in custody by that evening.”
The Capitol Police also monitors metro traffic 24 hours a day through the command center. Lieutenant Mark Neal explained that with the help of 11 telecommunicators and dispatchers, they are able to capture any unusual events occurring within the area surrounding the Capitol. “We’ve had incidents in the past where (the Charleston Police Department) has been looking for individuals and we’ve been able to locate them and communicate with the command center to lead them into where they were,” said Neal.
In addition to the service they provide to the surrounding community, the Capitol Police have been very occupied this session with health emergencies, saying that it seems like they’ve had an incident occur nearly everyday.
Holly Smith, RN, who took over the Dispensary last year, works with the Division of Protective Services in responding to emergencies throughout the Capitol. She said even though the incidents fortunately have not been of serious concern, they have kept them busy.
Smith also explained the importance of the programs run out of her office such as the Doctor of the Day program and Informational Lunch and Learn sessions.
Ultimately, Officer Foreman would like individuals to know that the department’s number one priority is preserving the safety and peace of mind of the people throughout the Capitol and in the community. “People should take comfort in knowing that if they have a request for service, they’re going to get it,” he said.
