Former Pocahontas Sheriffs Deputy Decertified
Ronceverte, WV – A former Pocahontas County Sheriffs deputy is one of five law enforcement officers to be decertified by the WV agency in charge of certification and decertification of police officers. The agency, a subcommittee of the Governors Committee on Crime, Delinquency and Corrections, has decertified more officers since the beginning of 2010 than they did in the previous 4 years.
One of those officers is former Pocahontas Deputy Rob Alkire, II. On November 30th, 2008, Alkire got into an argument with former girlfriend Jennifer Miller at her home in Marlinton. The argument continued into the street, where Alkire fired his service weapon. He was charged with wanton endangerment, and was controversially placed on paid leave pending the outcome of the investigation and subsequent trial.
Alkire eventually agreed to a plea deal, part of which stipulated that he could not be a police officer in Pocahontas County for at least one year. He was hired by the town of Ronceverte shortly afterward.
Ronceverte Police Chief Michael L. Smith says he hired Alkire because he was the only certified officer to apply for the department position. Smith says that certification saved the city about 3500.00. Smith says he was aware of the plea deal in Pocahontas, but since Alkire pled guilty to a misdemeanor, that did not eliminate him from consideration.
As a result of the Decertification, Alkire no longer works as a police officer in Ronceverte.