AG takes tour of region

By JUSTIN HARMON/Staff

Virginia Attorney General Robert McDonnell has been making his rounds in Southwest Virginia in the past few days, just listening.
“You wouldn’t believe how much you can learn to better your government agency if you listen to the citizens,” he said.
The attorney general visited with law enforcement and other public officials in the region. He said that drug use, specifically OxyContin and meth, continue to be important issues, especially in Southwest Virginia.
McDonnell said the recent federal trial that saw pharmaceutical giant Purdue Pharma and three current and former top executives fined a combined $634.5 million was a good start. Some of the money will be going to fun Virginia law enforcement through a prescription drug monitoring program aimed at investigating misuse and abuse. 
“We’ve got $20 million coming in just for that,” he said.
The attorney general said that though homemade methamphetamine labs are rarer these days, there is still a big market for the imported drug. Several years ago, Washington County led the state in the number of meth lab busts.
McDonnell said the biggest cause for the absence of meth labs is the bill that placed drugs containing pseudoephedrine – one of the main ingredients in the powerful stimulant – behind the counter.
“The problem isn’t eliminated, the source has just changed,” he said.
He said the problem is being addressed in schools, warning kids to stay away from the dangerous drug.
“Sure it’s a quick high and it’s cheap,” he said “But they need to be warned what a dangerous, terribly addictive life-changing drug meth is.”
McDonnel said though there is still a fight to eliminate OxyContin and methamphetamine use, he feels as if a there has been some real progress.
“We’re turned the corner on both drugs,” he said.
McDonnell also spoke on the charges filed against the former Damascus and Chilhowie police chiefs. McDonnell said that he believes strongly in the presumption of innocence.
“They’re innocent until proven guilty,” he said. “If it’s proven, it’ll be a sad day for law enforcement.”
McDonnell also said that he’s not too worried about the allegations against Tony Richardson and Dwayne Sheffield affecting the public’s view of law enforcement officers.
“Law enforcement officers have to hold themselves to the very highest personal and ethical standards,” he said.
Only if corruption is widespread in a department will the public begin to really lose faith, McDonnell said.
“The taint doesn’t go beyond the wrongdoing of the individual,” he said.
Justin Harmon can be reached at 628-7101 or