State of Montana Newsroom
Gov. Gianforte Meets with Southwest Montana Law Enforcement During Police Week
BUTTE, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today joined state and local law enforcement officers in Butte for a roundtable discussion recognizing Police Week in Montana and to receive updates on public safety priorities in southwest Montana.
“I’m here today to say thank you on behalf of the people of Montana for the long hours and sacrifices you and your families make to keep our communities safe,” Gov. Gianforte said. “As governor, I’m proud to stand with Montana law enforcement and to ensure our officers and their families have the support they need to continue serving our communities.”
Gov. Gianforte meeting with law enforcement officers in Butte
During the meeting at the Montana Highway Patrol District 3 headquarters, the governor brought together representatives from the Montana Highway Patrol, the Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement Department, the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement Department, and sheriff’s offices from Beaverhead, Granite, Madison, and Powell counties.
During the discussion, officers shared updates on the public safety challenges impacting southwest Montana, including drug trafficking and the growing impact of addiction and behavioral health issues in communities across the region. Officers specifically noted the rise in driving under the influence of marijuana, sharing that a large percentage of road fatalities involved use of the drug.
“We’re seeing an increase in situations involving mental health crises, and a lot of times those are co-occurring with drug use, they're using street narcotics or street drugs to self-medicate mental health issues,” Butte-Silver Bow County Sheriff Ed Lester said.
Participants also discussed the importance of coordination between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to combat criminal activity and keep Montana communities safe, highlighting the success of drug task forces to crack down on drug trafficking and coordination in response to the recent man hunt in Anaconda.
Gov. Gianforte highlighted the state’s continued investments in public safety and law enforcement. Last year, working with the legislature, the governor secured $150 million in one-time-only funding to expand capacity at the Montana State Prison. Last year, the governor helped break ground on the expansion project at the Montana State Prison that will add 117 new beds and relieve overcrowding in county jails to strengthen Montana’s long-term public safety capacity.
The governor also discussed ongoing efforts and investments to combat addiction and support behavioral health services across Montana. In his first week in office, Gov. Gianforte established the HEART Fund, which invests $25 million annually to support behavioral health and addiction treatment programs in communities across the state.
Building on those efforts, the governor also secured a historic $300 million investment to expand intensive and community-based behavioral health care and developmental disabilities services across Montana.
As part of Police Week in Montana, the governor shared that the Thin Blue Line flag will fly over the Montana State Capitol this week in honor of law enforcement officers and those who have fallen in the line of duty.
Gov. Gianforte proclaimed May 10 through 16 as Police Week in Montana and May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers who serve communities across the state and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. You can view the governor’s proclamation here.
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