PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — Law enforcement agencies in Wood County are working to gain federal resources to combat drug abuse in its communities.

The Parkersburg Violent Crime and Narcotics Task Force is hoping Wood County will be designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, which would enable further coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement officials to combat problems related to drug use.

The task force consists of the West Virginia State Police, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, the Parkersburg Police Department and the Williamstown Police Department.

U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., as well as Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., sent a letter to Acting Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Richard Baum expressing support of the designation.

According to letter, drug-related deaths in the county have risen by 260 percent from 2010 to 2016.

“The well-being of our West Virginia families and communities depend on ending this epidemic and it is one of my highest priorities,” Manchin said in a statement.

Wood County Sheriff Steve Stephens said the problem stems from the area’s proximity to Interstate 77 and U.S. Route 50.

“This designation will allow us to obtain federal funding for the general operations of our drug unit, including overtime and general funds,” he said.

According to Stephens, current costs can fluctuate on a day-to-day basis, with some drug investigations reaching $1,000.

“As you can imagine, it gets very, very expensive,” he said.

Stephens said he is hopeful to receive funding, but it is not a guarantee based on proposals to cut funding to the Office of National Drug Control Policy; a proposed budget from the Trump administration would cut the office’s budget by 95 percent to $24 million. The High Intensity Drug Trafficking program would receive no funding in the next fiscal year.

In a May 9 letter, Capito urged the administration to drop the cuts.

“I will lead a bipartisan group of my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee and in the Senate to reject those proposed cuts,” Capito said if the proposal is put forward.

Twenty counties in the state already are designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, including Kanawha and Monongalia counties.