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Mike’s Vision for the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office

Before making a career of law enforcement I volunteered many hours as a Reserve Deputy in Yellowstone County. As a certified scuba diver I was often called upon to assist in rescue or recovery operations in Yellowstone and surrounding counties. Whether searching for a victim or evidence, it seemed I always had to first search for a partner to assist for diver safety. On other occasions the Sheriff’s Office had received calls of lost hunters or motorists in areas of the county where weather has hampered attempts to locate these people. Other than a boat that can be used in incidents on the river, the Yellowstone County Sheriff’ has no equipment or specialized training for search and rescue operations. Montana law mandates that the Sheriff is responsible for search and rescue in their county. If elected, I would see to it that we have an organized approach to search and rescue in Yellowstone County.
Search and Rescue Plan
Search and Rescue Press Release

Having served much of my career as a hands on deputy as well as a commander in the Patrol Division, I know how important a reliable radio communications system is for public safety. In the past I have criticized certain aspects of our radio communication system, only to be chastised for voicing my opinion. Issues that I have brought to the administration’s attention have for the most part been ignored. It is for that very reason that I became involved in the Interop Montana project which is bringing state of the art statewide radio communications to Yellowstone and surrounding counties.

I believe that to be effective you must also be efficient. During my time as a patrol commander I was involved in the Federal Government’s 1033 plan. This is a program which allows local agencies to procure surplus military equipment at no cost for use in civilian law enforcement. While I was involved in this program I was responsible for bringing thousands of dollars worth of equipment to our Sheriff’s office at no cost to the county. My involvement in this program came to an end when the administration refused to support my attempts to obtain free firearms and vehicles from a Montana Air Force Base. With expected cutbacks and rising costs for equipment, I feel it is imperative that we take advantage of the programs that are available to us.

I care deeply about the future of law enforcement in Yellowstone County. As Yellowstone County Sheriff I will work for:

• More Proactive and efficient patrols
• A professional work environment in ALL facets of the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office
• Resolution of existing personnel issues currently plaguing the office
• Programs to help reduce recidivism causing overcrowding in the jail
• An organized search and rescue program in Yellowstone County.