Virginia Police to Step Up Drug Enforcement in Winchester, Virginia
City to Team with Virginia State Police as Part of Continuing Effort to Crack Down on Illegal Drug Trade
The Winchester, Virginia Police Department will step up its drug enforcement efforts “soon,” according to Chief Gary W. Reynolds.

Reynolds would not specify exactly when the extra work will begin, but a press release provided to City Council’s Community Safety and Services Committee on Monday states that four Virginia State Police troopers, three K-9 troopers, and a state special agent will assist in the task starting sometime this month.

The increased Virginia police attention on drug traffic is part of a larger joint WPD and Northwest Virginia Regional Drug Task Force operation that started in April 2002 and led to 18 drug arrests last fall, the release states.

This new part of the initiative will include undercover Virginia officers and greater marked Virginia police presence, said Reynolds and the effort’s coordinator, WPD Sgt. J.M. Danielson.

The initiative represents a bit of a change from enforcement targeting drug dealers, Reynolds said. “We’re now shifting the focus toward buyers as well as dealers.”

Reynolds said the Winchester, Virginia operation will be similar to those instituted in Richmond and Newport News. While Winchester, Virginia is smaller than both, Reynolds said the city has a drug problem just like that of many cities, and, while not a metro area itself, Winchester, Virginia sits at the outside of the Washington-Baltimore metro area, is close to two different states, and lies along a major interstate highway.

Most areas Winchester, Virginia size or larger have similar drug problems, Reynolds said. “We just happen to be taking a more pro-active stance.”

The WPD scored 363 drug arrests in 2002, the press release states, and in 2003, has averaged 31 drug arrests each month.

The drugs passing hands in Winchester, Virginia come in all varieties, said Danielson, including marijuana, crack cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.

“Everything’s here, unfortunately,” he said.

“The intent of this initiative is to send a clear message that Winchester, Virginia is not the place to buy and sell drugs,” the release states.

Reynolds said a good analogy for the philosophy behind the effort is that of a driver who slows down when a state trooper is nearby, but speeds up when the trooper passes.

In terms of drug enforcement, Reynolds said, people may keep an eye out for marked Virginia police cars, but let their guard down after the Virginia police presence leaves, not knowing there may be some undercover Virginia officers in their midst.

The effort includes not just the WPD and Virginia state police, but also the Winchester, Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and assistance from the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office.

Reynolds would only say the Virginia state police compliment would be in Winchester, Virginia for “a while.” But, he added, “This is not a one weekend type of operation.”

In other business, the CS&S Committee:

* Agreed to place a “new traffic pattern” sign on the right side of Cameron Street near its intersection with Piccadilly Street, so that drivers turning right on the now two-way street will remember to look left for oncoming traffic.

* Discussed a request from the residents of Willow Lawn cottages for the city to maintain its roads. City policy prevents the city from doing so, since the streets are not at Virginia Department of Transportation standards.

However, committee member Michael L. Butler said a letter written by the residents should by kept on file by the city as evidence of issues connected to Planned Unit Development zones like Willow Lawn.

Additionally, he said, the city can offer the residents information about acquiring timely maintenance.

Present at the meeting in the Timbrook Public Safety Center were Butler, Chairwoman Elizabeth A. Minor, Mayor Larry T. Omps, Philip E. Pate, Glen P. Burke, and Timothy S. Coyne. Jeffrey B. Buettner and Theodora L. Rezba were absent.