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ELKINS -- The Elkins Police Department made 91 drug arrests in 2021, among 261 arrests made by the department during the year.
The EPD's annual report for 2021 reveals that the department's officers responded to 5,412 calls for service, and received 2,412 hours of training.
"This year brought the challenges of high call volume, pandemic precautions, and several high-risk, high-profile incidents," EPD Chief Travis Bennett said. "I couldn't be more pleased with my team's performance. We're looking forward to seeing what 2022 brings and continuing to work with the community to keep Elkins a safe and enjoyable location for residents and visitors."
During the past year, EPD officers investigated 371 criminal cases involving 420 crime victims. Also among the 261 arrests were 81 for assault; 50 for larceny; 11 for forcible sex offenses; three for stolen motor vehicles; and three for kidnapping.
2021 "also saw the city's first homicide since 2015; EPD Chief Travis Bennett reported to city council that the suspect was in custody within an hour of the initial 911 call," a City of Elkins press release states.
On Nov. 19, Heath Coberly, 48, of Elkins, was taken into custody and charged with first-degree homicide after police tracked him down approximately an hour after finding Timothy Slayton, 41, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds at a Whiteman Avenue residence, according to the criminal complaint. Slayton was then transported to Davis Medical Center, where he died shortly after arriving.
In 2021, EPD officers performed 1,121 traffic stops, resulting in 330 citations and 791 warnings. The department also responded to 234 motor vehicle accidents and issued 800 parking citations.
The 2,412 hours of training received by EPD officers in 2021 included not only basic law enforcement topics and techniques but also advanced specialty instruction.
In early 2021, EPD hosted a series of multi-agency training sessions concerning active-shooter situations. This training focused on immediate solo response by the first arriving officer and ensured that all area law enforcement and emergency-medical personnel will be familiar with the same tactics and protocols in the event such a situation arises.
The department also conducted training for Randolph County Public School bus drivers about hostage and other emergency situations.
"These training sessions further strengthened the skills and capabilities of the EPD SWAT team, which consists of officers trained to handle potentially dangerous situations such as high-risk warrant service, barricaded suspects, hostage situations and protection details," the release stated. "During 2021, EPD SWAT operators served three high-risk warrants. They also responded to two separate barricaded-suspect situations and one request for assistance from another area department."