Sheriff David L. Castle
Still living out his dad’s work ethics
By Pam Nicholson in 2006
Hard work is no stranger to David Castle. Born in Great Falls in 1955, to Alfred and Elda Castle, David grew up on the family farm north of Fort Shaw and lived by his father’s “work hard” ethics that go along with farming. Sometimes he felt like his dad was a slave driver, making him work all the time; while other kids were involved in sports and such, he had to spend his time irrigating, and milking the cow. Not only that, calving season started the same time as wrestling. While in high school, he started watching a lot of cop shows on television and decided then he wanted to become a cop. Being the youngest of four boys, all the others had taken up different trades, plumbing, carpentry, and one started in electrical, and later switched to Mountain Bell. “They took all the trades, and there wasn’t much left…” Dave says. After his brothers left the farm and his parents were getting up in years, they asked him what he wanted to do. He had a big decision to make — either stay and take care of the farm or pass it on. Dave decided he wanted to ‘tackle the world.., get out there and take a bite out of crime.’
And so it began.
He graduated from Simms High School in 1973 and went on to attend the University of Montana where he took some social and criminal law classes. His first summer back, he needed work and Zion Construction was adding on to the Fort Shaw Elementary School, where he attended as a child. He was staying at his parents’ house and thought what a great convenience it was — so he walked over and asked them for a job. Before the end of the summer, he was made foreman and making big bucks, all at the age of 19. Thus began his construction career. Before long, he started his own business. After seven years, he had an offer to sell his company and since the law enforcement thing was still gnawing at him, he felt he couldn’t pass up the chance.
Barry Michelotti had just been elected Sheriff, and Dave was the first deputy hired under him in 1987. Dave is a graduate of the Montana Law Enforcement Academy and has attended over 1,600 hours of accredited law enforcement and public safety educational course and seminars, as well as over 300 hours of educational instruction in management and public safety facets. In 1991 he became the first D.A.R.E. officer for the Sheriff’s Office and was instrumental in implementing the program for Cascade County in addition to Chouteau, Teton and Fergus Counties. In 1992, he was named Officer of the Year for Outstanding Service to the Community. He was promoted to the rank of Senior Deputy in 1995, then Sergeant on Patrol in 1998. In 2001, he was promoted to Lieutenant on Patrol.
David says it was quite a big change back then, going from business owner into public service. He feels he has one of the few careers that you have the opportunity to do good and the rewards you get for that are tenfold. With his biggest concern being for people, he felt this was a way for him to get involved in the community and try to make a difference. He had done various volunteer work for United Way, including service as chairperson on fundraising committees. Serving as member on the Advisory Council for Safe and Drug Free Schools in the Sun River Valley and Vaughn School Districts as well as on the Alliance for Youth and Red Ribbon Weeks helps him to be involved with today’s youth. He also coached T-ball and Heisey League Girls Basketball from 2000-2004 and was chosen as Commencement Speaker for graduating classes at Belt, Centerville, Cascade and Simms high schools.
Family is also very important to Dave. After being introduced to Karen Martinez one night by one of her older brothers, whom he had gone to high school with, Dave and Karen married in 1991. He was so concerned to never forget their anniversary; he picked a wedding date he could remember easily — July 11. He felt that considering there were convenience stores called 7-11, he would remember it well, thus eliminating the chance of being in the dog house in later years.
Though he became a husband and dad late in life, his daughter Paxton, age 10 and his wife Karen are the center of his attention. The long hours that come with his chosen career makes him feel bad about the time he has to spend away from his family, but he feels that’s a path he chose to take in order to do his part in making the world a better place. And he has not once regretted his choice to do that.
David was first elected Sheriff/Coroner of Cascade County in 2004 after the previous Sheriff retired. David recently won the 2006 primary by what the media called a landslide! The citizens’ decision for Sheriff/Coroner was made during the Primary because both candidates were from the same party. Thus, there will be no opponent in the general election come fall.
Sheriff’s Castle’s Vision and Commitment to Service
To:
Serve and Protect all citizens
Support Youth and their Eduation
Build our Community, not more Jails
Earn Support through Action
Always act with integrity!
SHERIFF’S PHILOSOPHY
PHILOSOPHY OF THE ELECTED OFFICE OF SHERIFF/CORONER
The Cascade County Sheriff’s Office has the unique powers of the Sheriff and Coroner. The Sheriff’s philosophy is reinforced by the electorate for whom he works. The Sheriff’s powers are all conclusive, not bound by jurisdictional boundaries within the county elected. A sheriff’s authority with arrest powers is statewide.
Clearly, the office of sheriff is not simply another “department” within county government, but is one of the oldest “elected offices” of government. The only elected office of law enforcement in the whole United States.
The internal operations are the sole responsibility of the Sheriff. Department heads are subordinate to a county administration or manager because they are truly a division within county government and the department head works for the administrator or manager.
The elected Office of Sheriff is the ONLY elected law enforcement office in the United States and is a constitutional office having exclusive powers and authority. These powers are not the dictates of another official, only the electorate.
Each county elected official is responsible for his/her office that they hold and are directly responsible for the service and delivery of the specialized functions they were elected to deliver. This system provides a check and balance within county government through budget administration with the County Commission and legal obligation through the Attorney Generals Office.
THE OATH OF OFFICE
The Sheriff has the power, under state law, to give oaths. Each Deputy, Deputy Coroner, Detention Officer, Deputy Reserve or Auxiliary Officer appointed by the Sheriff swears to an oath of the office. The oath is all comprehensive to protect and defend the constitution of Montana and the United States. These are men and women dealing with the worst of people at the worst time. Officers know all to well that they may give their life so others can live.
APPOINTMENTS OF DEPUTY SHERIFFS AND DEPUTY CORONERS
Anyone appointed by the Sheriff, shall serve as a Deputy or representative of the Sheriff’s goals and directives, and have the powers delegated to the duty required by the Office of Sheriff.
Each Deputy/ Reserve/ Detention/ Auxiliary Officer receives his/her authority and powers from that of the Sheriff. Each Deputy becomes an extension of the Sheriff and the actions of the Deputy are considered the actions of the Sheriff. It is therefore, important that the appointment of Deputies is based upon the criteria set by the Sheriff. For each action an appointee makes, the liability for the action rests with the Sheriff. The Sheriff by statute is the Director of Public Safety and must assure all his officers adhere to state certification requirements.
Sheriff David Castle