There is currently a police oversight bill heading through the West Virginia State Senate, set for its second reading in the senate on Monday. The Charleston Gazette published an article confirming that both the West Virginia Troopers’ Association and the West Virginia Sheriffs’ Association are backing the bill.  It essentially provides that:

The revised bill requires officers who move from one department to another to sign a waiver allowing the subcommittee to review their personnel file with that previous department before reauthorizing their police officer certification. It also requires the subcommittee to keep the database of all certified officers, which would be available to all departments.

Both versions of the bill give the Law Enforcement Professional Standards Subcommittee — formerly known as the Law Enforcement Training Subcommittee — subpoena powers to investigate problem officers that come to their attention.

See Charleston Gazette article.  I think this would be a great tool to help weed out the bad officers.  We all know who the municipalities are who attract bad officers.  These municipalities complaint that it costs too much to send a new officer for the proper training and certification.  Its easier to just hire an officer who was fired elsewhere and who is willing to work for minimal pay.  ‘Tis better to have no officers at all than to have untrustworthy ones.  Period.