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

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

Former Ronceverte Police Chief Steps Into Alderson Police Leadership Role By Bobby Bordelon - Mountain Messenger - September 16, 2020

The   town   of   Alderson   now   has   a   new   officer   in   charge   with   Lieutenant   Rusty   J.R.   Byer   Jr.   Greeted   with   a round   of   applause   and   several   expression   of   thanks   from   the   audience   and   council   members,   Byer explained   that   although   he   had   previously   left   law   enforcement   in   Ronceverte,   where   he   served   as   chief   of police, his mind was changed after a request from Copenhaver. “I   thought   I   was   retiring   from   law   enforcement   in   January,   but   Travis   called   me   and   asked   me   if   I   come down   and   help   out,   so   I’m   here,”   said   Byer.   “…   After   I   talked   about   it   with   the   family,   the   people   of Alderson,   the   town,   needed   a   police   department   and   I   thought   I’d   come   down   and   help   them   out   and   give them a police department.” Byer   will   serve   as   the   lieutenant   in   charge   of   the   department   while   Chief   Jeremy   Bennett   is   out   on   military leave.   Byer   is   taking   over   after   a   difficult   period   for   the   department,   with   several   officers   leaving   the department,   and   a   meeting   of   Town   Council   seeing   an   explosive   meeting   where   Bennett   voiced   a   number of issues he had with the town. Bennett is expected to return after his deployment has expired. Byer   was   previously   the   police   chief   of   the   Ronceverte   Police   Department   before   leaving   the   position earlier   this   year   to   work   for   the   city’s   streets   department.   He   explained   to   council   he   had   nearly   two decades of experience before changing departments. “Most   of   you   know   me,   I’ve   got   [nearly]   19   years   of   law   enforcement   experience,”   said   Byer.   “I   started   in 2001 in Ronceverte and I spent six years as assistant chief and I was chief for about eight years.” Shortly    before    departing    his    position    to    join    Ronceverte’s    streets    department,    Byer    was    placed    on administrative   leave   then   fully   reinstated   by   the   city   following   an   internal   investigation   into   a   video   aired   on WVVA   involving   the   arrest   of   Gavin   Alderman   by   Byer   in   April   of   2018.   The   video   appeared   to   show   Byer kick Alderman as he was handcuffed to a knocked over chair. The    investigation,    as    explained    in    a    statement    from    Ronceverte    “found    no    evidence    substantial inappropriate   force   in   Chief   Byer’s   treatment   of   the   subject   involved”   and   concluded   it   was   “clear   …   that Chief   Byer’s   rapid   response   saved   three   vulnerable   residents   of   the   City   of   Ronceverte   from   the   very   real possibility of physical harm within their own home.” Now   the   lieutenant   in   charge   for   Alderson,   Byer   told   council   the   rebuilding   of   the   police   department continued to be underway. “There’s   two   of   us   full-time,   one   part-time,   and   we’re   in   the   process   of   hiring   a   third   officer   full-time,”   Byer explained. A   major   concern   for   several   parents   in   previous   council   meetings   is   that   of   the   K9   unit   that   was   recently sold   to   the   White   Sulphur   Springs   Police   Department   when   its   handler   changed   departments.   Copenhaver explained Alderson could soon see another. “Just   because   everyone   wants   to   know   about   the   drug   dog,   …   Devin   Johnson   is   actually   working   on   his own,   through   the   GI   Bill,   to   get   funding   for   a   K9   to   replace   the   dog   that   was   sold   to   White   Sulphur.   It’s pretty   admirable   that   he   took   it   on   himself   to   figure   out   how   to   pay   for   it   and   will   ultimately   probably   get most of it paid for, [as well as] his training.” In   addition,   a   new   K9   unit-ready   vehicle   will   be   acquired   for   the   city,   thanks   to   local   Margaret   Hambrick’s grant writing and the liquidation of the older vehicle previously used for the task. “We   got   a   grant   for   two   new   vehicles,”   Copenhaver   explained   in August’s   council   meeting.   “One   is   going   to be   a   sedan,   the   other   is   going   to   be   a   K9   unit.   …   We’ve   replaced   cars   with   grants   that   have   not   cost   [tax payers]   a   dime   and   we’ve   been   able   to   do   that   through   using   the   special   fund,   by   doing   the   grants.   The grant   that   Margaret   [Hambrick]   essentially   pays   for   half   of   the   two   cars.   …   Council   did   authorize   to purchase   a   vehicle   previously   and,   if   you   all   remember,   I   said   no.   The   reason   I   said   no   was   [because]   it was   not   budgeted.   If   we   had   expended   that   money   then,   we   couldn’t   afford   the   match   for   the   new   brand new cars, not a used car, two brand new cars.” With   the   recent   departure   of   most   of Alderson’s   police   force   and   controversies   emerging   after,   the   town   is looking   to   create   a   better   system   for   dealing   with   policing   issues   in   the   future   and   catch   potential   issues   far before    they    create    a    problem.   As    a    result,    Byer,    Copenhaver,    and    council    are    looking    for    potential communication solutions. “There   was   a   consensus   among   council   that   we   wanted   some   sort   of   a   community   relations,   intermediary board   between   us   and   the   police   department,”   Copenhaver   said.   “Chapter   814   actually   defines   how   that process   can   be   done.   While   at   times   it’s   thought   of   as   disciplinary,   [the   board   we’re   looking   to   put   in   place as]   a   relations   board,   not   a   negative   issues   when   you   have   a   problem.   Just   a   thought,   there’s   no   sense   in reinventing the wheel, we’ll look at it over time.”