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By BOB PARTLOW / Staff Writer, Martinsburg
The Berkeley County Sheriff's Department does not plan to provide police officers to enforce speed limits on Interstate 81 through the county, Sheriff Randy Smith said Thursday.
"In my opinion, 81 is more than adequately covered by law enforcement," Smith told the Berkeley County Commission.
County Commission President Howard Strauss said he wanted to see more county presence on the interstate because the state had refused to comply with a commission request to lower the speed limit. State Highway Engineer Joe Denault said this week that adding more police officers to enforce existing limits was a better answer.
Smith said the West Virginia State Police agency has officers assigned to the interstate and he doesn't have the personnel to devote anyone to the interstate.
That was fine with County Commissioner Robert Burkhart.
"I think we have enough (enforcement) by the state," Burkhart said. "I think we need more patrol in the back roads of the county. We have enough to do with the Sheriff's Office that we don't need to patrol I-81."
