TOWN OF ALDERSON POST OFFICE BOX 179 CITY BUILDING—202 SOUTH MONROE STREET ALDERSON, WEST VIRGINIA 24910 TELEPHONE (304) 445-2916 NEWS RELEASE - 11-13-2017

Contact:  Mayor Travis Copenhaver 304-445-2916 / Margaret Hambrick 304-646-2439

Attention   Aldersonians!   Moms,   Dads,   teachers,   preachers,   guardians,   maw-maws,   paw-paws--whoever deals   with   our   kids.   It’s   time   to   step   up.   Below   is   my   public   service   announcement   for   us   today.   It’s   a serious one. If you can’t have the suggested conversation with your children, I am happy to. We   are   not   immune   to   the   opioid   crisis   in   Alderson.   Nor   do   we   have   on   blinders   that   we   don't   have   other drugs such as heroin, meth, ice, skull and cross bones, and any other street term for drugs, available here. Over   the   past   two   years   Chief   Bennett   and   his   team   have   made   a   visible   difference   in   many   locations   in town   that   were   known   “street   corner   pharmacies”   as   I   like   to   call   places   we   know   people   are   selling   drugs. Key players are gone that used to be brazen and think they were getting by without being caught. People   who   are   not   part   of   our   war   on   drugs   can   criticize   and   give   their   uninformed   opinion   about   “why haven’t   they   done   something   with   him?   How   come   we   see   what’s   going   on   and   the   cops   don’t?   They busted   him,   now   they   are   working   with   him   and   he   is   narcing   on   everyone   else   and   they   are   letting   him slide.” Ladies   and   gentlemen   there   are   many   many   hours   spent   before   ever   making   an   arrest.   People   are   very clannish   and   trust   only   those   they   know.   Reality   is   far   from   the   drama   you   see   on   TV.   Our   officers   pro- actively    work    vehicular    traffic    and    pedestrian    traffic,    meeting    and    greeting    those    in    known    areas    of pharmacy trade. There   are   also   many   key   players   in   this   war   on   drugs--a   war   that   you   need   to   help   in.   Everyone   should educate   the   children   they   deal   with   about   the   dangers   of   picking   up   a   syringe   or   “trying”   anything   “only once.”   If   you   aren’t   educated   in   the   things   to   say   or   are   afraid   you   don’t   know   what   to   say,   I   would   be happy   to   help   and   so   would   our   police   officers.   .   Our   fire   chief   or   any   member   of   his   team   are   willing   to help as well. But   what   else   can   you,   an   ordinary   person,   do?   Be   vigilant.   Lock   your   doors.   Light   the   outsides   of   your homes.   Double   check   outbuildings   and   make   sure   they   are   locked.   Write   down   license   plate   numbers   and, if   you   wish   to   be   anonymous,   drop   them   in   the   drop   box   outside   city   hall   with   the   area,   type   of   vehicle, license   plate,   description   of   the   persons,   when   they   have   a   lot   of   visitors,   and   anything   else   you   want   to include. If you want us to call you, put your phone number on it. If you don’t, that’s ok too. We   take   this   very   seriously.   Our   police   officers   spend   countless   hours   working   drug   interdiction   and   the general   public   has   no   idea   they   are   doing   it   at   the   time.   Whether   it’s   watching   a   known   area   while   sitting   in the   car   appearing   to   be   watching   traffic   or   following   up   on   some   of   the   information   I   just   asked   you   to   give us, they are at work on our drug problem. Our   county   prosecutors,   judges,   sheriff   and   magistrates   have   a   duty   to   protect   the   citizens   they   were elected   to   serve.   If   you   feel   they   are   not   doing   enough,   remember   them   at   election   time.   That’s   one   thing you for sure can do. This   needle   was   found   by   the   tracks   this   morning   as   a   child   was   walking   the   family   dog. This   infuriated   me, but   then   brought   me   back   to   the   reality   that   kids   need   to   be   educated   and   also   that   we   need   to   look   harder at this area. I   was   the   only   Mayor   in   Greenbrier   and   Monroe   counties   to   sign   a   letter   of   support   for   the   Greenbrier County   Health   Department   to   start   a   dirty   needle   exchange   program.   I   signed   that   letter   with   the   full support   of   our   town   council   as   well.   I   will   bet   I   am   not   the   only   Mayor   whose   town   has   the   exact   same issues. Now you know why we feel this is an important program. It   is   not   enabling   drug   users,   but   protecting   first   responders   and   our   citizens,   visitors,   and   most   of   all   our children.   It   is   not   perfect   but   if   it   gets   a   few   dirty   needles   away   from   where   our   children   are   in   danger   from them, it is worth it. So   please,   if   you   see   something,   say   something   and   if   you   do   not   see   direct   action   right   away   it   does   not mean we are not doing something with your information. My kids live here too! Travis

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