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St. Ignatius reserve officer program reinstated

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 MISSION — The St. Ignatius Town Council voted to reinstate a police officer reserve program at its Sept. 3 meeting. 

Chief of Police Jeffrey Ferguson asked if the approximately $77,000 budgeted to the police department would be enough to add another full-time officer to the police force. 

“It’s not enough for two full-time officers,” clerk Lee Ann Gottfried said. “It would take at least $90,000 or more.”

Reserve officers, who must receive 88 hours of training, can be utilized to alleviate some constraints Ferguson faces as the sole officer for the department. 

“A reserve officer is who I will be assigning for dogs, fireworks, alcohol, town parks, bicycles, dogs, everything,” Ferguson said. “It will help, one, bring in revenue for this town and two, enforce the laws and maybe even lighten up where I can do more administrative work.”

The reserve officers will be especially helpful patrolling during school start and release times and town festivals like Good Old Days, Ferguson said. The officers also can help tackle the town’s animal control problems that increased after the control officer position was eliminated in July. 

“Basically, ever since we lost our animal control officer, people think its free reign,” Ferguson said. 

A full-time, certified officer must supervise the reserve officers at all times, Ferguson said. 

“It’s not like we’re throwing them out to the wolves saying ‘Here, go do whatever,’ without being watched or supervised,” he said. 

The council approved spending funds to train two officers. The department is accepting applications for future reserve training.

Attorney James Lapotka wanted to make sure there is a written policy in place for the program. 

“Before we have these people we need to have an official policy of what we are going to do with them,” Lapotka said.

Lapotka has been researching ways the city can adopt a reserve officer policy without causing problems similar to ones the Ronan Police department is facing. He said he would have a policy the council could vote on at the next council meeting. 

In other business: 

• The council passed a $156,350 budget that levied 129.36 mils and increased revenue by $69,747. 

• Annie Morigeau was sworn in to fill the council seat vacated by Marine Johnson until the November election. 

• The city approved hours for shooting off fireworks in celebration of New Year’s Day. Under the new rule, fireworks can be ignited from 8 a.m. on Dec. 31 until 2 a.m. on Jan. 1. 

• The council authorized spending funds for the ongoing water improvement project. The bid was awarded to Smith Paving and Contracting of Polson. 

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