CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Governor Patrick Morrisey says West Virginia is seeing measurable progress in public safety and the fight against drugs. New statewide data show violent crime down 5.6 percent, property crime down 13.5 percent, and drug overdose deaths down 12 percent compared to 2025 — marking one of the most significant year‑over‑year declines in recent history.
“Nothing matters more to me than you and your family’s safety,” Morrisey said. “In West Virginia, we’re taking an aggressive approach to protect your loved ones: crime down, enforcement up.”
The Governor credited tougher laws, expanded recovery programs, and coordinated enforcement operations for the improvement. Among the highlights:
- Lauren’s Law, signed in April 2025, established mandatory minimum sentences for trafficking fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine.
- The West Virginia First Foundation has committed nearly $40 million to 171 community projects funded through opioid settlement dollars.
- Multi‑agency operations have seized hundreds of pounds of fentanyl and methamphetamine, recovered firearms, and arrested violent offenders statewide.
Major enforcement actions include Operation Down The Road, Operation Monarch, and Operation Spring Sweep, each targeting drug trafficking and violent fugitives across multiple counties.
Governor Morrisey said the results prove that West Virginia’s law enforcement community is “making it clear that crime has no safe haven in our state.”
