by Kate Shunney
Morgan County Sheriff K.C. Bohrer told Morgan County Commissioners last week that Paw Paw
Mayor Darlene Abe made false statements to them about police coverage in her town, and was insulting to officers in the Sheriff’s Department and the West Virginia State Police.
Bohrer said he was disappointed that commissioners gave Abe a slot on their June 18 agenda on the topic of police coverage in Paw Paw without seeking out his department or the State Police to participate in the discussion.
Abe approached county officials apparently to see if it was possible to contract with the county to provide police coverage inside the Town of Paw Paw. The town has had difficulty hiring and keeping officers and police chiefs for several years.
The Morgan County Sheriff’s Office and West Virginia State Police respond to calls in the Paw Paw area.
According to Bohrer, Abe claimed that deputies and troopers said they won’t come to Paw Paw to answer calls because they are afraid to after the killing of two State Police troopers there in 1977.
Bohrer rejected that statement, saying it is false and no current officer has spoken to Abe on the subject.
“That’s highly offensive to our officers,” the sheriff said. “My first position in law enforcement was in Paw Paw one year after those killings.”
Bohrer said his department patrols and responds to calls in Paw Paw regularly, as does the West Virginia State Police.
Sgt. Sam Smith, State Police commander at the Berkeley Springs barracks, joined Bohrer before the commission to add his sentiments.
He said since 2022, troopers have handled 210 calls in Paw Paw.
“In the last month, I had officers in a house there with a hazmat suit on because of the living conditions,” said Sgt. Smith.
“She’s out of touch with the realm of reality,” Smith said of Mayor Abe.
“There’s not a trooper who is afraid of coming to Paw Paw,” Smith told commissioners.
Smith also pointed out that the former Paw Paw police chief, hired by Abe, had been convicted in Hardy County of misusing the 911 center to seek out and share protected information for personal use. Smith filed the charges against him.
Morgan County 911 Director Marshall Younker said his office has drafted a letter asking that his employees not be asked to provide protected information to that officer if he is rehired by the Town of Paw Paw.
Sheriff Bohrer said in the last six months, the Sheriff’s Department has responded to Paw Paw 122 times, not including regular patrols. Those incidents include traffic interactions, Safe Schools checks and several drug-related complaints.
Last year, the Sheriff’s Department’s Deputy Reserves also attended all Paw Paw High School basketball games because of incidents of fighting there.
“I think we deserve and the State Police deserve an apology,” Bohrer said of Abe’s remarks.
According to Morgan County 911 records, the last time a Paw Paw police officer handled an incident in that town was in March of 2023.
“If they have an officer, he won’t even mark on duty or off duty so 911 can communicate or provide information,” said Marshall Younker.
Younker suggested to the County Commission that they remove county-owned radios from Paw Paw until they have a certified officer under employment.
County officials did not respond to comments except to say they felt compelled to agree to hear Abe’s issues during an open meeting. They said it was on a posted agenda and other police agencies could have attended that June 18 meeting.
