St. Ignatius hires new chief of police
Megan Strickland
St. Ignatius Police Chief Matthew Connelly started his new position last week.
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ST. IGNATIUS – After a winter of only part-time police service that manifested in an increasing number of complaints about dogs at large and delayed law enforcement response, the St. Ignatius Town Council hired a police chief in an emergency meeting on May 11.
Matthew Connelly comes to St. Ignatius from Glacier County, where he was born and raised. Connelly has worked in law enforcement since 2001. He started as a Blackfeet Tribal Law Enforcement officer, where he worked as a drug agent. He then worked as an agent for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in a program that took him to the Spokane Indian Reservation, the Crow Reservation, Pine Ridge Reservation and Standing Rock Reservation. He worked for Glacier County for a few years before taking a year off to recharge his batteries. He went back to work for the Blackfeet Tribe for a year before being laid off in August because the Tribe suspended the department. He has ranched with his brother in the interim, hoping to get the job in St. Ignatius.
“This area is beautiful to me,” Connelly said.
Connelly said he has some experience in dealing with vicious dog issues, which has been deemed by Town Council as the issue of highest priority at the moment.
“Everyone and their dog has mentioned that issue to me,” Connelly said. “I have lots of experience with dogs.”
In one incident in Browning last year Connelly had to use his stun gun on a vicious dog. He said he strives to treat people fairly and has had to do that in the past when arresting fellow officers and tribal councilmen.
“I’m kind of a no-nonsense guy,” Connelly said. “It’s all about enforcing the law to its fullest to me. There’s no gray area. If I pull the mayor over for speeding he’s going to get a ticket.”
Connelly said he is excited to be in St. Ignatius.
“It seems like a nice town,” Connelly said. “I’ve not met such nice people, anywhere, ever before.”
