West Virginia’s newly appointed interim state police superintendent says he's begun reviewing past investigations conducted by the force. The announcement comes amid allegations of misconduct brought to light by Gov. Jim Justice. Jack Chambers told residents Wednesday “the West Virginia State Police will not give up on you. I promise." It was his first public address since the deputy director of the Capitol police was appointed interim state police superintendent Monday. State police leadership is accused of failing to properly investigate and discipline officers accused of a range of misconduct over the years. Justice ordered a sweeping investigation of the state police Monday after he accepted the resignation of the agency’s superintendent Jan Cahill.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice says a coal miner has died in an accident in the northern part of the state. Justice says 62-year-old Cecil Barker of Philippi, was working as a surveyor at Century Mining’s Longview Mine in Barbour County. Two other surveyors were traveling with Barker on a mantrip ride by rail underground to the mining section when the accident occurred. The two other surveyors sustained minor injuries. A statement by Justice did not say how the accident happened. It was the second coal fatality of the year in the state and the third nationwide.

State police in West Virginia say a trooper used a Taser on a man who walked onto a highway and later died. Gov. Jim Justice on Monday described the police video of the incident involving  Edmond Exline of Hagerstown, Maryland, as alarming. Exline died at a hospital after the incident near Martinsburg on Feb. 12. State Police Capt. Eric Burnett in Charles Town says a Taser was used on Exline after he went into traffic and didn't comply with a trooper's commands.  Justice cited Exline’s death and two separate incidents involving State Police in ordering a sweeping investigation Monday, the day the state police superintendent resigned.

West Virginia's governor has ordered a sweeping investigation of the State Police after he accepted the resignation of the agency’s superintendent. The resignation of Superintendent Jan Cahill on Monday came as Gov. Jim Justice revealed allegations of wrongdoing. Cahill served under Justice since the governor took office in 2017.  Justice says the investigation will include allegations that a video camera that was hidden inside a women’s locker room at a State Police facility. Justice says it also will look into allegations of a trooper stealing money from a man at a casino, along with a third incident on Interstate 81 in the Eastern Panhandle the governor says involved a loss of life.

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has signed a budget bill for the next fiscal year along with bills giving pay raises to public employees and making changes to their insurance program. The nearly $4.9 billion budget is relatively flat compared with past years. It includes 34 items shifted from the state’s record surplus. Justice also signed $2,300 pay raises effective July 1 for public school teachers, school service personnel and state police. Friday's ceremony came 10 days after the Republican governor signed a bill returning more than $750 million to state residents, including a more than 21% reduction in the personal income tax.