WEIRTON — Weirton Council will consider distributing another allotment of its available opioid funding when it meets tonight.

Council will be asked to consider a resolution allocating $9,586 to the Weirton Police Department for the purchase of DUI simulation goggles, which officials note would be used in the education of local students and community organizations in the effects and resulting dangers of driving while on drugs.

According to a draft copy of the resolution, “Since 2023, the police department has observed a trend of reduced DUI arrests but an increase in drugged-DUI cases, specifically 16% in 2023, 26% in 2024, and 29% in 2025.”

The department, in recent years, has organized a variety of community outreach efforts to address the issue of individuals driving while on drugs, including seminars at Weir High School in an effort to educate students, parents and teachers, including hands-on DUI simulations.

The new goggles sought for purchase “will mimic the effects of driving while impaired on opioids, marijuana or alcohol,” according to the department’s funding application.

If approved tonight, this would be the third round of funding awarded to the Weirton Police Department. In March, the city provided $211,654.85 for the purchase of two vehicles and equipment for the department’s K-9 division and street-based video systems and license plate reader systems. In October, another $74,926.36 was approved for the purchase of video surveillance equipment to be placed in police vehicles and city neighborhoods.

Weirton Council also has approved $240,000 of the opioid funds for the WVU Hancock County Extension Service to establish a prevention program assistant position, $277,555.10 to the Weirton Fire Department to purchase automated external defibrillators and a mechanical chest compression system, $66,000 for Northwood Health Systems to fund a peer recovery support specialist, and $82,964 to Northwood for an outpatient peer recovery support services staff member.

The city began its distribution of funds with more than $1.3 million, provided by the state and derived from settlements to cases filed against distributors and producers of pharmaceutical opioids. An additional $159,694.04 was announced in October.