1. Coroner’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office has been combined with the coroner’s responsibilities. Thus, the Sheriff is also the Coroner. To assist in those duties the Sheriff has appointed deputy coroners. Coroners are required to respond to all unattended deaths in the county. This includes all deaths within the city limits of Great Falls also. The responsibility of a coroner is to investigate the death and determine the cause and manner of the death. The cause of death is determined by inclusion or exclusion of all information at the scene and historical data, e.g., medical, physical outcomes, etc. The manner of death is determined to be either of natural, accidental, suicide, homicide or undetermined. Notification to families members and other loved ones of a death are emotional and trying times for everyone.
2. Patrol and Law Enforcement Operations.
The Patrol Division is the heart of our duties and the part of the Office most visible to the community. The Sheriff’s focus is to comprehesively and proactively work with the public to reduce crime and make our community more safe. The Sheriff’s focus has been on community policing which creates an active relationship between deputies and the communities that they patrol. It focuses on communications between law enforcement and interactive and proactive community based solutions to problems within each area. Deputies respond to crimes and handle incidents as required, but also focus on communitiy education in the schools, community centers, civic groups, and church groups. Deputies, unlike other law enforcement agencies, have several collateral duties and generally are the “detectives” or investigators to the crimes they respond to.
The Criminal Investigation Division (CID) is responsible to assist the Patrol Division with on-going investigations, investigate major cases, such as sex crimes, other serious crimes against children, adults, and property, gangs, narcotics, as well as internet crimes. Specialized units have been developed that are “collateral duties” of the deputies, which are activated when needed for high risk incidents.
3. Civil Processing.
The Sheriff’s Civil Unit is responsible for receiving, processing, and archiving all civil processes directed to the Office. This includes, to name a few, Sheriff’s sales, court orders, subpeonas, court judgments, jury summons, temporary restraining orders, and civil process serving. All actions and procedures are dictated by statute or court order. There is one admnistrative clerk and one deputy assigned these as their primary duties. However, because of the volume of papers mandated to be served all deputies are required to deliver and serve papers, thus reducing their time to fight crime.
4. Adult Detention/Corrections Division.
The Adult Detention/Corrections Division is responsible for housing inmates lawfully placed in their charge, to ensure appearances in court, and as a result of adjudication. Because of the comprehensive nature of these duties and the goal of providing information to those who need to communicate with those operations, a separate page site has been set up with that information.
5. Intelligence Technology(IT)/Security and Records Division.
This Division is responsible for communications and technology security and the safe archival of all criminal and other records generated and maintained by the Office. Safeguarding the privacy and accuracy of records is an on-going process that has developed over time with technological advances.
6. Training Division.
The Training Division is responsible for coordinating, monitoring and/or presenting, verifying, documenting, and archiving all training of all Sheriff/Coroner’s Office employees and their auxiliaries. Deputies, detention officers, and reserve deputies require initial training and state certification through P.O.S.T. Additional and recurring training are also mandatory to maintain these certifications. Other employees and auxiliary forces (volunteers) require initial and on-going comprehensive training to deal with the emergencies that we are responsible for responding to. Employees’ required training are in specialties such as: accounting and budgeting, computers, records and confidentiality, civil processes, judicial orders and warrants, and communications. The required training for “volunteer” auxiliary forces includes training in search and rescue, law enforcement procedures, special operations, crowd control, air operations, fire fighting, emergency and natural disaster responses, human behavior during crisis, and ceremonial and parade protocols.
7. Auxiliary Support.
There are nine separate volunteer auxiliary support forces that are utilized by the Sheriff/Coroner’s Office as we strive to make Cascade County as safe as possible. This does not include the many law enforcement and emergency services that we coordinate with the state of Montana, other states, and federal agencies. The volunteer support services include such assets as: Reserve Deputies, Search & Rescue, Sheriff’s Posse, Sheriff’s Communication Posse, County Fire/EMS services, Sheriff’s Citizen Committee, the Chapliancy Program – made up of law enforcement chaplains and the Chaplaincy Board who deal with legally required inmate support, Sheriff’s Explorers, community mental health professionals with Critical Intervention Teams (C.I.T.), and the use of RSVP volunteers. Below is listed a brief overview of their essential niche within our organization and community!
a. Sheriff’s Reserve Program.
Reserve deputies are allowed by law to assist the Sheriff with his duties. They complete a minimum of 88 hours course of training covering all responsibilities of a deputy, they are required to understand the use of force, Montana laws, required to qualify with firearms and successfully complete a comprehensive background investgiation, written, and physical testing. Once the academy is completed, the reserve deputy will be assigned on-going training requirements and must successfully complete over 600 hours of training and assessment before they are allowed out in a vehicel by themselves. All reserve deputies are required to be under supervision by a full-time deputy.
b. Search & Rescue.
All search and rescue operations in Cascade County are the responsibility of the Sheriff. Whether it be a lost hunter, hiker, stranded motorist or snowmobiler, or lost boater or swimmer, the Sheriff’s Search & Rescue are called to respond. In the water, mountians, prairie, snow, or inclimate weather, their specialized training and equipment allows them to quickly and effectively respond throughout the County to the widest crisis conditions.
c. Sheriff’s Posse.
The Sheriff’s Posse is deep in history of the Sheriff’s Office in Cascade County. Before automation, there were horses. The “Posse” was just that and at one time was the Sheriff’s Reserve Deputy Forces. With the change in technology and requirements for deputy reserves the Search & Rescue and Reserve Deputy Progam were formed. The Sheriff’s Posse continues to be used in ceremonial functions and as courtesy security at the fairgrounds. They are also being trained as an augmentation to the search and rescue operations for horse mounted rescue efforts in areas where horses are the most logical mode of travel.
d. Sheriff’s Communication Posse.
The Sheriff’s Communication Posse is made up of volunteer HAM radio operators that are the forefront of communications when all regular communications systems fail or are unable to work because of distance or terrain. They are activated to assist in mobile command centers with communications and information dispersal, and as a ready back-up should normal communication fail.
e. County Fire/EMS.
The County has sixteen fire districts and several EMS (Emergency Medical Services) specialists (QRU’s fall under supervision of D.E.S.) that volunteer their time and services to the rural communities during times of crisis. They respond to house fires, medical calls for service, citizen assistance, vehicle accidents, wildland fires, and other general emergency calls for service. They do initial emergency responder assessment, fire control, emergency life saving efforts, ambulance and mercy flight prep, traffic control and re-routing, and for uniform and efficiency purposes are trained in the Incident Command System (ICS) which allows them to be deployed anywhere in the state or country if needed.
f. Sheriff’s Citizen Committee.
The Sheriff’s Citizen Committee, implemented in 2005, is made up of citizens from Cascade County from all corners of the county and all walks of life, with varying professional expertise and community outlook. They are thoroughly educated in the parameters, capabilities, and responsibilities of the Office and serve to advise the Sheriff on areas of law enforcement concern within the county from a citizen’s point of view. Below is the mission and vision statement, and goals and objectives.
MISSION STATEMENT:
To foster an open, supportive, and respectful relationship between the citizens of Cascade County and the Sheriff’s Office. This is accomplished through education, free information exchange, technical support, training, volunteer services, and legislative support.
VISION STATEMENT:
This mission can be best achieved by active public involvement, support, and dedicated endeavors towards the prevention of crime and lawlessness. Sheriff Castle has established this volunteer organization to provide collaborative guidance and advice. This nonpolitical committee has no authority beyond providing and receiving that guidance and advice.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
The most important goal is to protect people and property. The objective is to bring people together to develop fiscally responsible strategies to enhance public safety. This can be accomplished by:
1. Educating the residents on the functions, duties, and responsibilities of the Sheriff’s Office.
2. Promoting active, close, and supportive relationships between the Sheriff’s Office and the public.
3. Being proactive to receive from the Sheriff information and education on technical issues so that they can provide meaningful feedback to the Sheriff, i.e. drug issues.
4. Supporting volunteer services to assist the Sheriff’s Office mission and extend its capability.
5. Advising the Sheriff’s Office on policy issues as they affect budget, image, and dealings with other entities such as the county commission.
6. Establishing and maintaining a strong and credible public presence to attract input into the committee and thereby maximizing its effectiveness in advising the Sheriff’s Office.
7. Serving as a sounding board for ideas developed by the Sheriff’s Office and for ideas that the public may want to promote.
8. Assuming a leadership role to support the establishment of committees in other counties.
ORGANIZATION
The committee is made up of up to twenty-one county resident volunteers, appointed by the Sheriff and serving at his discretion, with an elected chairman and vice chairman. Vacancies are filled from a roster of applicants maintained by the Sheriffs Office.
Subcommittees may be formed at the discretion of the committee. Members of subcommittees need not be members of the full committee. Chairs of subcommittees are to be members of the full committee. The members of the subcommittee are appointed by the Sheriff.
g. Chaplaincy Program.
The Chaplaincy Program consists of two separate but very important functions. The Chaplaincy Board and supporting detention staff, and the Law Enforcement Chaplains.
The Chaplaincy Board is made up of religious based community volunteers who focus on coordinating and carrying out religious activities for inmates within the detention center. These requirements have developed over the past thirty years and are based in federal law, judicial mandates, and state and federal contracts; they are not optional. Because it is not funded, the volunteers allow us to fulfill this legal requirement.
The newly developed (2008) Law Enforcement Chaplains are made up of certified clergy who have received law enforcement training and are on call to assist law enforcement either personally or professionally in times of crisis. They assist our Coroners with notifications of next of kin. They assist in crisis intervention situations with citizens. They coordinate local community religious efforts through community churches. They assist law enforcement staff with faith-based issues that may result from dealing with the traumas faced everyday by law enforcement and emergency responders.
h. Sheriff’s Explorers.
The Sheriff’s Explorer Program is a youth based program for volunteer youth who want to become involved and learn about community law enforcement efforts. The applicants must be between the ages of 14 and 21 and successfully completed 7th grade. The applicant must also complete the “Exploring” form to pay a minimal fee for accidental injury coverage through the Boys Scouts of America. The youth spend time riding with deputies and where allowed working with detention in order to learn all aspects of law enforcement duties. They volunteer to assist with community- based support activities for youth and families.
i. Critical Intervention Team (C.I.T.) Comittee.
The C.I.T. Committee was formed in 2008 as a result of the identified on-going and increasing problem of persons with mental illnesses being placed in jails because there were no cost-effective non-law enforcement community or state based solutions. The Committee is made up of local private and government mental health professionals, county and city law enforcement, county attorney and legislative respresentitives, and mental health volunteers.
The scenario goes that a law enforcement officer is called to respond to an EDP (emotionally disturbed person) who is not wanted at a particular place. They may be violating a minor law, trespass or disorderly conduct for not leaving, and the officer is expected to do something with him or her. The deputy or officer normally have very limited knowledge of the person, they normally have no insurance, so hospitalization is out of the question, and have no local residency. As a result they are transported to the jail. This is costly and ineffective as it does not address the problem long-term. NOTE: There ARE some EDP persons for the safety of the community who need to be incarcerated before there transport to Warm Springs or other mental health facilities. The focus of this group is to pool local mental health resources to assist the deputy and/or city officer in making a more accurate assessments in most cases where EDP’s are involved and the need to incarcerate is not apparent. If they can be diverted to mental health resources in the community the long-term outcome will be better.
These incidents are a costly state-wide problem – these people are mobile – and attempts have been made at several legislative sessions and interim committees to address this, with limited success. Because of lack of resources and dollars in most communities, the strategy must be a private/government partnership – the private has the resources and the government has the responsibility to fund, to some degree. “Charity Care” (free care) given by the hospitals in Montana’s major cities for mental health care alone is in the millions each year…
Cascade County has worked to train deputies and offciers in early identification and interaction techniques when dealing with EDP’s and a pool of on-call professionals are being developed to respond to the call for the officer’s assistance. Money for bricks and mortar to create a drop-in center is also being sought.
j. Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).
The RSVP volunteers are used by our Office to assist with office duties such as answering the phones, filing correspondence, relaying general information to citizens and support staff.