Polson standoff ends peacefully

One man was taken into custody following a five-hour standoff in Polson last week.

Eli Stops, also known as “Sleepy Loko,” was hiding from law enforcement at 608 Second St. W. on Friday, Sept. 28.

According to a press release from Polson Police Sgt. George Simpson, Stops was wanted by the United States Marshal Service for an outstanding federal warrant.

Police received an anonymous tip that Stops was staying at the Polson address on Friday.

In an effort to locate Stops, officers from PPD went to the address, where Stops was seen inside by law enforcement.

Stops concealed and barricaded himself inside the attic once officers entered the residence, Simpson said.

Once Stops was confirmed to be in the attic, law enforcement established a perimeter around the vicinity of the house.

Negotiations, Simpson said, “went on for a couple of hours with no success,” leaving officers to spray oleoresin capsicum (OC) into the attic.

“Negotiations resumed after the OC deployment,” and Stops surrended without incident, Simpson said.

Stops was transferred into the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service.

Assisting PPD were: Flathead Tribal Police Department, Ronan Police Department, Montana Highway Patrol, Polson City Fire Department, Polson Ambulance, Lake County Emergency Communications and “the patient residents of the neighborhood.”

Polson Police Chief Wade Nash expressed his appreciation to those who helped to ensure the incident went as smooth as possible. “The level of commitment and courage your law enforcement team showed today is nothing short of extraordinary. I am very happy of our department and the assisting agencies,” he said.

Simpson confirmed Monday afternoon that two search warrants have been carried out at the residence in 2018.NEED