Polson police facing personnel shortage

The Polson Police Department is facing a personnel shortage after several officers have left the force.

“We’re going to limp through the winter,” Police Chief Wade Nash told officials at the Jan. 4 city commission meeting.

Nash said officer Quinten Fowler was recently “stolen” by the Kalispell Police Department, while officer Cory Anderson is leaving to pursue new adventures in Texas. Nash added that he’s losing an additional officer to the Montana Law Enforcement Academy. Two other officers are temporarily unavailable, Nash said, one due to knee surgery and another who is scheduled for service with the National Guard.

“So I’ll be down five officers this month,” Nash said. “It’s going to be kind of challenging but it’s something we can’t prevent.”

Nash said the department is adjusting staffing and arranging schedules to continue providing 24-hour patrols during the shortage.

While the department is in the process of hiring new officers, Nash said carrying out the mandatory background checks, physiological evaluations and physicals can take up to three months.

“It seems in the past when we try and hurry up the process we don’t get the quality of officers that we have recently,” he said. “I’d rather have good people and have less problems down the road.”

Nash said he hopes to hire at least one officer in the next two months, but projects the hiring process to take up to three.

“The officers that we do still have are going to step up, and I know that they will succeed,” he said.

In additional department news, Nash informed commissioners of a $1,000 donation from the Mission Valley Elks Chapter, which will be put toward drug awareness efforts.

Polson police have been active in addressing the issue lately. Nash said officers recently visited several schools with the K-9 unit to educate students on the dangers of drug use.

The department also posted a lengthy statement on its Facebook page describing the elements involved in drug enforcement efforts.

“A frequent question we get is, ‘What are you doing about drugs in our community?’ the department wrote in the post. ”The short answer, a lot.”

The department goes on to state that drug cases often take place behind the scenes and involve multiple agencies. Such cooperation, including working together with community groups such as the Elks Club, all contribute to the cause, Nash said.

“I think these partnerships can speak volumes about our community,” he said.