SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 22
(By Senators Kessler, Edgell, Bowman, McKenzie, McCabe, Snyder,
Dittmar and Anderson)
Supporting the transition of the former West Virginia Penitentiary
in Moundsville into the National Corrections and Law- Enforcement Training and Technology Center.
Whereas, In 1997 the West Virginia Division of Corrections
decided to utilize the former state penitentiary at Moundsville for
the training of correctional officers of the Northern Regional Jail
and Correctional Facility; and
Whereas, It is vital for our correctional and law-enforcement
officers to be properly prepared for unexpected situations, such as
prison riots, hostage situations and contraband confiscation which
can, and do, occur in correctional facilities; and
Whereas, The use of a facility such as the former state
penitentiary provides a realistic environment for such training
exercises without the presence of prisoners; and
Whereas, The Center could provide for the testing and
marketing of law-enforcement technology used within a prison
environment and could provide correctional and law-enforcement
officers proper training and education in modern prison technology;
and
Whereas, Using the former state penitentiary as the National Corrections and Law-Enforcement Training and Technology Center is
supported by the Office of Law-Enforcement Technology
Commercialization and the National Institute of Justice, along with
leaders in the commercialization of technology for corrections and
law enforcement; and
Whereas, Such a facility as the former state penitentiary for
training would not only be utilized by correctional officers within
West Virginia, but also from around the nation; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate:
That the Senate hereby supports the transition of the former
West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville into the National
Corrections and Law-Enforcement Training and Technology Center
which would provide a realistic environment to train and educate
our correctional and law-enforcement officers from West Virginia
and throughout the nation; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward
a copy of this resolution to the West Virginia Division of
Corrections and the National Corrections and Law-Enforcement
Training and Technology Center in Moundsville, West Virginia.