Associated Press Published

Coal Severance Money Allows County Sheriff to Hire Deputies

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Officials say a West Virginia county sheriff’s office has hired four deputies after it had $240,000 in budget cuts during the last few years.

The Bluefield Daily Telegraph reported Tuesday that the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office now has 13 deputies. County budget cuts had caused the department to lose four deputies in January 2016. It should have 15 deputies.

County Commissioner Gordon Lambert says coal severance money made the latest hires possible. He says the county hopes to hire more deputies.

Sheriff Martin West says one hire is a previous county deputy and has completed his academy training, so he will be able to work at full capacity. The other three hires will start 16 weeks of academy training on Aug. 15.