Sheriff Joseph Crawford addresses the media at a news conference, on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, at the Metro 911 Center in South ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä. The Kanawha County Sheriff's Office is leading a safety effort beginning on Aug. 19, 2026, the first day that children in Kanawha County Schools return to classes for the 2026-27 school year.
Sheriff Joseph Crawford addresses the media at a news conference, on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, at the Metro 911 Center in South ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä. The Kanawha County Sheriff's Office is leading a safety effort beginning on Aug. 19, 2026, the first day that children in Kanawha County Schools return to classes for the 2026-27 school year.
CHRISTOPHER MILLETTE | Gazette-Mail
School in the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä area begins next week, and when it comes to students' safety, the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office isn't messing around.
Traffic violations in school zones and around school buses will not be forgiven in court, and there will be increased patrols in those areas from Wednesday through Aug. 28, according to KCSO Sheriff Joseph Crawford.
"If you are caught violating the law you will be cited," Crawford said at a news conference Thursday. "Those tickets do not get dismissed. It's a safety thing, and we're taking it serious."
Crawford said increased patrols of KCSO deputies, as well as officers from ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä, South ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä, St. Albans, Nitro, and Dunbar police departments, and troopers from the West Virginia State Police will monitor school zones and school bus routes as about 23,000 students head back to school in Kanawha County, West Virginia's largest school district.Â
"We're here to promote the kids," Crawford said. "We want to keep them safe going back to school and make sure you are aware that we're going to have extra patrols in the school zones. Be aware of your surroundings and make sure you're obeying the speed limit in the school zones and pay close attention."
The news conference was conducted in collaboration with Kanawha County Schools at the Metro 911 headquarters in South ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä.
Watch for distracted kids
Increased patrol zones come as a safety measure for students still adjusting to the routine of the school year, according to Kanawha County Commissioner Natalie Tennant.
"There's all kind of excitement," Tennant said, "Children will be excited to get on a bus or run across the street to get to the school or to see their friends. We want to continue that record of safety we have and ask the residents of Kanawha County for just a little more patience, a little more understanding."
Crawford recommends motorists leave for work earlier than usual to account for increased commute times caused by the school zones.Â
"When school starts, get up a little bit early," said Crawford. "Start a little bit earlier, make sure you have plenty of time to get to where you're going, and anticipate that you'll need to stop if you're behind a school bus or in a school zone."
CLICK HERE to follow the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Gazette-Mail and receive
