photo by: Joselyn King

Ohio County Chief Deputy Kent Lewis, left, and Sheriff Nelson Croft address county commissioners earlier this year.

TRIADELPHIA — Last weekend’s flooding in Ohio County has left tired deputies and recovering communities now being targeted by looters, according to Sheriff Nelson Croft.

Deputies will now be coming from other West Virginia counties to assist the Ohio County Sheriff’s Department in the coming days.

Croft expects to have about 12 more deputies available to schedule on patrol.

“This is the biggest tragedy we’ve faced in a century or more, but that doesn’t stop the calls for other necessities,” he explained. “We still have our court duties at the courthouse to take care of. We have a great crew, but they are getting a little taxed. They need a minute to sit down and breathe.”

Croft added that while his deputies have been putting in long hours for relief and recovery efforts, the flooding has now left behind a looting crisis. Additional deputies are needed for patrol at night in flood impacted areas.

“It (looting) is widespread in the flood area, yes,” he acknowledged.

West Virginia code establishes a mutual aid agreement between all 55 counties that permits deputies to temporarily go work in another during times of crisis.

“They can respond and have full authority in the county they are in,” Croft explained.

Rodney Miller, executive director of the West Virginia Sheriff’s Association, sent Croft an email earlier in the week asking if the Ohio County Sheriff’s Department needed assistance from other counties.

“The first day or two we did not need them, but now we do need them as our guys are getting fatigued,” Croft said. “And now we’re experiencing more problems with looters during recovery efforts.”

Deputies are coming from Boone, Kanawha, McDowell, Wood and Wetzel counties, in addition to those already assisting from Marshall County.

“The last thing we want to do is put hardship on people,” Croft said. “We don’t want to make arrests. But Boone County handcuffs fit just the same as Ohio County handcuffs. If you’re caught, you’re going to jail — plain and simple. We have a zero tolerance policy on looting.”

Croft asks that the public be patient with road closures. “And if you see anything that’s out of sorts, give us a call,” he said.