West Virginia

West Virginia State Police Communications History. As I read that vaunted organization’s history I came to the conclusion that the Ohio State Highway Patrol was not the only State Division to have manpower problems and lack of funds to modernize at times. A constant fight with politicians to receive and retain qualified personnel levels.

West Virginia State Police began in 1919 - Being the 4th State in the Union to create a State Police Force after Pennsylvania 1905, NY and Michigan both in 1917. Thus we were created were known as the Department of Public Safety. In the pre radio days, contact with patrol cruisers was maintained by telephone at designated service stations along the established patrol routes. By 1924 WV-SP had organized two Company Headquarters; A-Elkins WV and B-Kenova WV - Plus 16 Detachment Stations.

March 1934, one answer to manpower shortages was more efficient communication for dispatch, information exchange, and command and control purposes. An experimental teletypewriter system had been operated between headquarters and Company A (Fairmont) The success of this test led to gradual expansion of the State Police teletype net. Superintendents from Col. Osborn’s time, had urged establishment of a State Police Radio System. Funds were finally appropriated by the 1937 State Legislature.

In March 1939, the department’s first radio station (Moundsville) went on the air. Over the next 31 months, six more stations were added to the police network – Shinnston (June 39), Beckley (Oct 1939), Charleston (Dec 39), Romney (Feb 1940), Chapmansville (Jan ‘41) and a mobile unit for emergency communications/command post purposes (Oct ‘41) – The Division had 116 radio cruisers, an aircraft and 62 detachment receivers in the department net. Overall management of this system was entrusted to the lieutenant commanding the Radio Division, established in 1939 as the third headquarters office. To avoid tying up sworn officers in support jobs, radio operators and maintenance personnel were civilian employees. Michigan and Pennsylvania had the same modus operandi.

To summerize West Virginia’s Communications history of the early 1940's - The State then had four (4) Companies A thru D and eventually Company E on the WV Turnpike.

Company A - Shinnston HQ

Company B - S. Charleston HQ

Company C - Elkins HQ

Company D - Beckley HQ

W8RUO Emory Wright - Who became Chief Engineer of The West Virginia State Police at work here in his earlier technician days. Emory is tuning a Motorola two package old 6 Volt system in the rear of a WV cruiser, in his pre-engineering days.

The equipment Emory is using is a Simpson test kit and probably a Dumont Frequency portable test system. Emory’s left hand is on the antenna trimmer that he is peaking using the test set pictured.

I have no idea the date that this picture of Engineer Wright was taken however concerning the equipment it appears to be in the early 40's. The picture was selected to be used in a WV History book supplied to us by the daughter of Red Devores W8LYV, of Beckley WV in 2005. The style of patrol cruiser is in question too, appears to be a late 1940's body style. The transmitter package is mounted on the right side.

Today’s West Virginia State Police operations has more District Headquarters and Patrol Posts under their jurisdiction. To be sure in 2005, we have knowledge of Seven (7) Districts Plus Training Academy, Executive Protection and Department HQ in Charleston. A grand total of 62 Detachments or Posts to protect and serve the residents and traveling public throughout West Virginia.

The Silver 1988 Plymouth Diplomat (pictured) would have been issued about two years after Emory Wright expired. Colors, decals and body styles have changed, yet today there is still a good size police car package available from the manufacturers. The Crown Vic is one of the favorites.

My guess in the earlier years only a small selection of vehicles were available for police use without the special transmission packages, tires and heavy duty electrical.

In the ‘46 – ‘48 period, almost total replacement of the aging patrol vehicle inventory, installation of two-way radios in all cruisers, most converted from AM to FM bands. Due to primarily low salary scales the turnover rate for civilian radio operators, clerks, mechanics and technicians was 44 percent. Through the period of ‘58 – ‘60 only 10% of the total civilian force had no more than ten years of service with the department.

The vital command and information link was making significant progress. Radio coverage of the state improved by complete switch from AM to FM equipment. Volume of radio traffic was a major problem, since only one channel was available for transmission and receiving of all radio messages. Direct information to troopers in the field became a reality in June 1956 when Radio Capitol went on the air. This station was located in the capitol building, next door to the CIB. This proximity made possible the immediate relay of data from CIB files and also speeded up the relay of urgent administrative messages. In this era of “atomic war” jitters in foreign relations, the department provided vital communications backup to state civil defense planners. The WVSP radio network was available for air raid alarms and other emergency uses. Gasoline powered generators were installed at several field locations and repeater stations, designed for automatic start-up if regular power sources failed. Excerpted from WV-SP History files.

In 1956, Colonel Boyles recommended establishment of a state-wide WVSP teletype network, with a terminal located at department headquarters and each company headquarters. Initially installed in 1958, the network boasted 12 terminals by the end of the decade; Headquarters, Shinnston, South Charleston, Beckley, Elkins, Moundsville, Point Pleasant, Romney, Morgantown, Logan, Princeton and Martinsburg. Through connections in Ohio, the Capitol Terminal was linked to the Eastern States Teletype Network. The Parkersburg Police Dept. Had already tied into the WVSP net and other municipal departments were expected to follow suit.

April of 1966 brought about the activation of NLETS (National Law Enforcement Teletype System) This system brought about the virtual demise of police telegraph systems. Many states including WVA agreed to maintain their police telegraphs in stand-by status and to monitor any traffic. However operators assumed more p r e s s i n g communications duties. Pictured, WV-SP Radio Phone and CW operators in the late 1950's - CW didn’t have a much longer run in their grand state.

This is probably HQ station in Charleston, WV. Added March 2005 W8KE Ken Genheimer in Columbus (Formerly of Columbus Ohio State Highway Patrol) on 80 Meters advised

me Red W8LYV was once a WVSP radio CW guy. Very good news, Red is alive and cooperating fully with a lot of data.

The period of the 1950's West Virginia State Police could only adequately staff three CW equipped stations. There were no other stations in the state operational on CW. The May 1951 National Police Communications Network Directory had stations at Elkins, Charleston and Romney - Listed for CW (Continuous Wave HF Morse) The FCC Morse and abbreviated APCO call signs follow;

     KQB64 - Elkins WV State Police APCO Call - RL

     KQB74 - Charleston WV State Police APCO Call - RC

     KQB75 - Romney WV State Police APCO Call - RW

During the period of the ‘60s the Division had the following communications staffing; One LT UIC, one sworn member radio/teletype operator, one chief engineer, one assistant engineer, 4 chief technicians, one electrical maintenance man, one technician operator and 29 operators.

Superintendent Robert Bonar ‘67 – ‘77 - The longest tenure of any Superintendent, instigated many changes including Vascar, radar, operational training and improvements. Your author used to monitor WVSP hams who were the morse code boys, operating on the ham-bands on Saturday mornings, discussing the improvements or general shop talk including Superintendent Colonel Bonar. That name, Bonar has stuck in my mind all these years, from the boys mentioning him on the Saturday morning CW Net on 80M. (All good of course) None of the ham operators have been heard on the air in recent years. APCO CW Calls that we are aware of - (RC) SP Charleston - (RL) SP Elkins - (RW) SP Romney - The FCC looked the other way when the CW boys used the short version APCO initials for calling each other, it simplified things. (RC DE RL ZBO P K)

Here are some time honored names and valued personnel over the years of The West Virginia State Police Radio Division.

Engineer Emory Wright W8RUO *1919-1985* - Tenure 1940-1984, Emory never missed a days work in 44.5 years. He never took a sick day. Who can claim that today? Emory a WW2 Vet.

Creed O. Russell W8KM *1916-1988* Tenure 1939-1958 Chief Technician.

Elbert Flanagan W8RHS - Tenure 1945-1983 Asst. Engineer and Terminal Manager.

Shirley (Red) Devores - W8LYV Tenure 1955-1983 Chief Technician. U.S. Army Vet

Albert L. Yanak - Tenure 1949-1986 Chief Technician U.S.A.F. Vet

May I say, in closing radiotelegraph was a going concern in the Mid-West, Central and far West. Some of the Southern States did participate, for example Florida only hand one station available for radiotelegraph operations. States such as Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, MO, TX, MI, NB and AL were well represented on the CW nets.

Taken in 1958 L to R are Ms Bertha Bias Collins; Ann Graybeal; & Peggy Sizemore. All were employees of the State Of West Virginia Department of Public Safety, State Police Division, Capitol Building, Charleston WV.
The YL’s were teletype operators who worked daily to feed the messages to the proper channels received from CW operator Red M. Devores W8LYV 1955- 1960 Morse operator WV DPS Chief Technician 1960-1983. Red toiled daily on the job until 1960 when he was promoted. Your author had advised friend W8KEG Kenneth Genheimer in Columbus, Ohio of a project that was being attempted about the old CW (Morse Code) State Police and DPS radio operations of years gone by. Ken was already instrumental of giving me a lot of good data and pictures about our Division.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol, of which Ken served probably 30 years, as Chief Operator and Technician. Ken had mentioned one evening in March of 2005 that he used to work Red W8LYV of WVSP Beckley WV on the ham traffic nets who was once one of us. It had been so long that Ken was not sure if Red was still active, but it would prove a good try. Sure enough Red became a good ally and friend supplying a lot of good material about his Division, “The WV State Police.” It is to Red (Shirley) Devores that we dedicate these pages. I was very pleased to submit Red’s manuscript he wrote in honor of previous WV State Police Engineer that they held in high esteem, one Creed Russell. In 1989 Red attempted to have ARRL print a fine article about Creed Russell and his accomplishments however The ARRL declined saying it was not their policy. I mulled it over in my mind and came up with the possibility of having the manuscript displayed on the internet to who ever wanted to view, anywhere in the world. That became possible 27 March 2005, only a few years late Red! Please read the memorial if you please on www.w8jyz.com Using PDF format. W8SU 2005

Retired WVSP Radio officer, from Charleston Gazette dated March 2003, photo by Kenny Kemp.

Information above was supplied by Bob Ballantine W8SU 2009