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Wood County Commission celebrates Narcotics Task Force recognition

By Brett Dunlap 4 min read

PARKERSBURG -- The Parkersburg-Wood County Narcotics and Violent Crime Task Force has been honored for its work.

The local task force was named the Task Force of the Year 2021 by the Appalachian HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) program through the federal Drug Enforcement Agency for a region that includes West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia.

The program was created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.

A group made up of the heads of different local police agencies appeared before the Wood County Commission on Thursday to talk about the task force and the ongoing drug problem in the area. The task force is made up of officers from many of the local law enforcement agencies as well as the West Virginia State Police.

"This is a very prestigious award," said Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure.

"The Task Force is an agency that works primarily undercover," he added. "The general public doesn't see them and doesn't know the work they do on a day-to-day basis.

"It is important for us to show the community that we are making a difference and we are working hard in regards to this. It is paying off."

The federal program helps provide money for overtime, controlled buys and more that helps track information and assists law-enforcement with their work.

Over the last year in 2021, the PNTF conducted over 292 investigations resulting in numerous pounds of narcotics being seized from the local community, Lefebure said adding they removed 48 firearms from the streets of Parkersburg and from Wood County.

They have forfeited almost $200,000 from drug dealers and putting that money back into their investigations. So far this year, they have already seized over $70,000 from people distributing narcotics in this area.

"(The task force) does not get the recognition they deserve day to day because they are not out in uniforms publicly, but they are doing the work behind the scenes and it is important," Lefebure said.

One operation resulted in the seizure of 150 pounds of methamphetamine in Columbus, Ohio, as a result of work the local task force did, Lefebure said.

Williamstown Police Chief Shawn Graham said the drug problem is horrible.

"I can say (the task force) is doing their part," he said. "They are doing a lot of hard dangerous work.

"It is nice to know that we have guys here working hard on it."

Commissioner Jimmy Colombo commended the task force for the work they have done in keeping drugs off the streets.

"The work you have done to make this a safer community, thank you so very much," he said.

Commissioner Robert Tebay shook the hands of each of the department heads as a thank you.

Wood County Sheriff Rick Woodyard said they have done an extraordinary job with the manpower and resources they have.

Vienna Police Chief Mike Pifer said no one department could do the work the task force does.

"It takes all these departments to come together," he said.

The task force has seized over $1 million worth of drugs, including a lot of fentanyl, Pifer said adding it is very dangerous to deal with some of this stuff.

"We have a lot of leaders throughout this community who want to see this be successful," Commission President Blair Couch said. "I hope it continues as you guys do good work."

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com

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