HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 20
(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss, and Delegates Facemyer,
Michael, L. White, Doyle and Beane)
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to make
a study of the qualifications, educational and training
requirements, and administration of state law-enforcement
officers and personnel.
Whereas, Since its creation in the year 1919, the mission and
jurisdiction of the state police has been the statewide
enforcement of the criminal and traffic laws of this state; and
Whereas, Various law-enforcement officers of other state
agencies are also concurrently granted limited authority to
enforce certain criminal laws within the jurisdiction of
their state agency to enforce, including, but not limited to,
law-enforcement officers of the division of natural resources,
the public service commission, the state fire marshal and the
division of highways; and
Whereas, These state agency enforcement officers have most,
and in some instances, all of the police powers of officers of
the state police to enforce the laws within their jurisdiction,
including the power to arrest, to carry and use firearms in enforcement, to search and seize persons and property and to
enter private lands; and
Whereas, The jurisdiction and authority of the state police
in many instances overlaps the jurisdiction and authority of
state agency enforcement officers; and
Whereas, The qualifications, educational and training
requirements, and administration of state law-enforcement
officers varies from agency to agency and the Legislature finds
that the more efficient and uniform training, administration and
qualification of such officers may enhance the quality of
enforcement of the criminal laws under their jurisdiction for the
protection of the citizens of the sState of West Virginia;
therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the jJoint cCommittee on gGovernment and fFinance is hereby
requested to appoint an interim committee consisting of five
members of the House of Delegates, to be designated by the Speaker of the House of Delegates, and five members of the
Senate, to be designated by the President of the Senate, to study
the qualifications, educational and training requirements and
administration of state law-enforcement personnel and officers
and to determine and make recommendations in regard thereto which
would foster the more efficient and uniform qualification,
training and education and administration of state law-
enforcement officers and personnel; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the jJoint cCommittee on gGovernment and
fFinance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 1999,
on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with
drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its
recommendations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct
this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary
legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the jJoint
cCommittee on gGovernment and fFinance.