Pocahontas County Sheriffs Auxiliary Wants To Expand Both Services And Membership

Marlinton, WV – “Our Goals are to make it a supporting organization; that not only helps support the efforts of the Sheriff’s Department, but in the bigger picture supports the efforts of the community.”

That’s Pocahontas County Sheriff David Jonese describing the expanded Sheriffs Auxiliary. Until now the Auxiliary’s primary focus has been transporting detainees to and from the Regional Jail. But that’s going to change. In the future, the Sheriff plans for the Auxiliary to take on many of the routine security jobs.

“Being the security and chaperones for the Prom this year; for parades, for activities, for Sheriff’s camp, community watch, any type of community activity” he says. “If we get the Auxiliary as the lead agent for that, under the auspices of the Sheriffs Department, it makes the community a better place to live.”

The Sheriff says that by taking on these tasks the Auxiliary will free his deputies for more urgent tasks such as responding to calls from the 911 Center.
Joel Srodes is the Development Coordinator for the Auxiliary. He says his job is to develop new projects and establish the protocols on how they will integrate into the Sheriffs Department. Srodes says that on Monday they will have the first meeting of the revamped Auxiliary.

On Tuesday they will hold the first meeting of the new Citizens Advisory Board. He says the new board is going to be critical to the Auxiliary. Margaret Worth is one of the members of that Board and sees her role as an advisor, not a director.

“It’s my understanding that the Advisory Board is just going to act in an advisory capacity” says Worth “and, to be more of a line of communication between the community and the Sheriffs’ Department. Not acting in a director’s role, just to provide information about what people see happening in their community. Good things that are happening, needs of the community, and concerns of the community,”

Ruth Bland is also a board member and sums up her concerns.

“I live in the central part of the community in Dunmore and I’m the principal of Green Bank so I am interested in providing a safe community in both places and beyond into Bartow, and Durbin and Boyer, Arborvale, Cass also” says Bland. “And my concern is I have 283 children at Green Bank School, what are we providing for them outside of school? We can’t do it all in the schools.”

With the reorganized Auxiliary in place and an active Board of Advisors, Srodes says that the next agenda item is expansion.

“Our primary job right now is recruiting, because, all of these projects that we hope to be able to accomplish will take manpower” says Srodes. “And we don’t have enough members at this time to facilitate all the activities that we want to.”

Srodes says that if you want to join the Auxiliary you can contact him at 304-799-2211. He’ll provide you with a short application and tell you all the other requirements to become a member of the Pocahontas County Sheriffs Department Auxiliary.