SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 4
(By Senators Burdette, Mr. President, and Chernenko)
Commemorating the seventy-fifth anniversary of the West Virginia
division of public safety.
Whereas, The division of public safety was created in 1919
as a police department with statewide police powers, with 120
troopers joining the department in the first year, assigned to
two companies, one in northern and southern West Virginia.
Presently, the West Virginia state police is comprised of 484
troopers with 60 detachments throughout the state; and
Whereas, The most important tasks of the West Virginia state
police are to uphold and defend the laws of the United States and
the state of West Virginia and the protection of West Virginia's
citizens from criminal depredation; and
Whereas, The investigations of reported criminal violations
around West Virginia constantly place our state police officers
in danger. Sadly, since 1919, thirty-four dedicated troopers
have given their lives in the line of duty; and
Whereas, The division of public safety has grown since its
inception to include an academy, established in 1949 for the
proper training of troopers; a statewide bureau of criminal
investigations, which is charged with the identification,
reduction, control and prevention of criminal activities
associated with the manufacture, distribution or use ofcontrolled substances, organized crime and other activities of a
criminal nature; and the West Virginia automated police network
system, which provides all law-enforcement agencies in West
Virginia with centralized criminal records and analysis of
forensic evidence; and
Whereas, Maintaining safety and patrolling of the state's
public roads and highways, enforcing the traffic laws and helping
to prevent motor vehicle accidents are also primary
responsibilities of the West Virginia state police; and
Whereas, The personnel and resources of the West Virginia
state police are also available for assignment to the scene of
any emergency or disaster occurring within the state and to
supplement the efforts of other law-enforcement agencies at their
request; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate:
That the Senate hereby recognizes the seventy-fifth
anniversary of the West Virginia division of public safety and
extends its sincere appreciation to each member of this vital
division of state government for their professional dedication to
their responsibilities for the preservation of peace and
enforcement of law; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Senate hereby solemnly remembers
the lives of the thirty-four troopers who have given their lives
in the line of duty for the preservation of peace in West
Virginia; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to
forward a copy of this resolution to the superintendent of thedivision of public safety, Colonel Thomas L. Kirk.
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