Sheriff releases annual report

Among multiple points highlighted in the 2017 Lake County Sheriff’s Office annual report, Sheriff Don Bell outlined various points ranging from staffing to the amount of calls reported.

The document was released at the beginning of April by Bell, who shared in the opening pages that during his tenure, overtime has been cut by “thousands” of hours.

Bell explained by condensing programs, such as the SWAT team, and being more frugal on overtime have helped save thousands of dollars.

Sheriff’s deputies clearing scenes when they aren’t utilized has helped, as well as training multiple officers for SWAT incidents have helped lower overtime, Bell said..

Officers are now cross-trained in multiple areas, so rather than calling a select few to use the LCSO boat during a distress call on Flathead Lake, for example, more officers are trained and can answer the call, not using overtime, Bell explained.

“It’s really about consolidating teams,” he added.

A SWAT team costs more than $100,000 a year, he said, just in overtime.

Six officers of a former eight-person team were local, and with one officer averaging 80-90 hours a month in overtime.

Bell explained that some members of the team lived scattered across the county, which could cost valuable time during a live shooting incident.

Bell said his thoughts, which are mirroring other counties across the country, is rather than have one SWAT team, to have multiple officers trained so the calls can be answered sooner.

“My philosophy is, instead of having the (SWAT) team, everybody is trained across the board. If there’s an incident,” the officers working the incident will be able to respond, and if needed, assistance from neighboring Flathead and Missoula Counties can be requested.

Bell said that from start to finish during an active live shooting, the incident typically lasts 12 minutes.

In addition to the eight officers that are currently SWAT-trained, Bell said that four more officers are slated to be trained in the near future.

Five officers within the LCSO are also trained for active shooting scenarios, he added. Three more officers are “fight, flight or hide” trained.

“We’re going around the community. We’ve taught at the hospital, we’ve taught at the schools,” he said, and the team goes around the county as asked, to train for high-stress situations.

Currently, there are 23 officers with the LCSO, down from 25 three years ago, due to “a lack of funding.”

In the report, Bell also stated that in 2017, LCSO responded to 1,725 calls, which is down 75 from 1,800 in 2016.

Bell explained that he thinks officers working harder and together to catch offenders earlier in their criminal careers is helping.

“The team is working really well together... The deputies go out, they work on their cases. Everyone works,”Bell said.

In order to become part of the LCSO team, Bell said the interviewing and selction process consists of multiple tests, interviews and an elaborate background check.

Administration will look at the maturity, professionalism, compatibility with the public and insight provided by a psychologist who also talk with prospective officers.

“I want someone that, when they talk to you, you feel at ease to give them information,” Bell said.

To read the full LCSO 2017 annual report, visit www.lakemt.gov/sheriff/sheriff.html