CHARLES TOWN — Local officials have become quite familiar with the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program since Berkeley County was selected last fall to join this federal initiative as a result of its illegal drug problems - including the state's highest heroin overdose deaths from 2007 to 2012.

Now, Jefferson County Sheriff Pete Dougherty is awaiting similar news from Washington, where federal officials will be meeting Nov. 20 and considering this new designation, he said.

"I applied last year when Berkeley got accepted, so we are hopeful we will get accepted this year because the HIDTA committee is going to meet Nov. 20. The U.S. Attorney sent me a note about that, so we are very hopeful because it will not only give us some additional resources, but also additional access to other areas and jurisdictions," he said.

Working cooperatively with other law enforcement agencies is important because the flow of drugs doesn't respect county or state borders, Dougherty said.

That's important for the Eastern Panhandle where drugs - especially heroin - come from Baltimore to be abused and sold locally, he said.

"The drug problem, and drug solution, isn't jurisdiction by jurisdiction. So the more we can share information and resources, the better for everyone," Dougherty said.

There's no doubt that heroin is also a problem in Jefferson County, although it may not be as bad as in Berkeley County, he said.

A report prepared by the county's Emergency Services professionals at his request showed they had administered naloxone 60 times from January through June, Dougherty said.

"During that time, we also had heroin overdose deaths. But that's 60 people who were brought back, that otherwise probably would have died, so that is significant - that is a lot of people," he said.

There's also a larger trend, because the number of state residents who've died from heroin-related overdoses tripled over the last five years, according to data from the West Virginia Health Statistics Center.

State figures show that heroin overdose deaths increased from 22 in 2007 to 67 in 2012.

Those records also showed that Berkeley County had the highest number of overdose deaths - 36 people between 2007 and 2012.

Dougherty said he also likes HIDTA's philosophy aimed at exploring options - such as treatment - rather than only incarceration for offenders.

"It's not just about locking people up. I like the idea of tough love, but also holding people accountable such as Judge David Greenberg is doing with the juvenile drug court. Those efforts, along with a lot of intensity do work and we're seeing that, but there also have to be some services available to go along with them," he said.

There's been other support for this approval, including Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., "who got the entire state delegation on the House side to write a letter of support for Jefferson County to be included" while Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., also sent a similar letter, Dougherty said.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., who sent a letter of support in July for the Jefferson County HIDTA designation, continues to work toward that goal, said communications manager Ashley Berrang.

Additionally, she is also in regular contact with officials who will make this decision, including Michael Botticelli, head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, and Tom Carr of the Baltimore-Washington HIDTA, Berrang said.

"Because Jefferson County is one county closer to the Baltimore/DC metropolitan area, its designation is essential to stopping the flow of drugs into West Virginia. The Berkeley County HIDTA designation brought great attention and resources to the situation in that part of West Virginia, and a designation in Jefferson County would do the same," she said in an email.

"As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Capito supported a bill that includes $245 million for the HIDTA program a significant increase over the president's request for $194 million. The full Senate is expected to consider this bill in the coming weeks, and Senator Capito will continue to push for HIDTA funding," the email continued.

Berkeley County Sheriff Kenny Lemaster said he's hopeful for the new designation, adding, "With two of us, it will make a statement that's twice as strong about our intentions to get the drug problem stopped."

It's also a way to supplement local resources, such as an extra assistant prosecuting attorney that was recently added thanks to this funding, he said.

"I also think the Berkeley County Council is getting money for the drug rehab facility from HIDTA, and anything helps," Lemaster said.