The Town of Cascade is considering creating its own municipal police department, with residents and town leaders discussing the proposal during a public meeting Thursday night.
A proposed ordinance would establish the Cascade Police Department, outline its leadership and set requirements for officers. Under the proposal, the department would be led by a chief of police, with additional officers hired as authorized and funded through the town’s municipal budget.
Supporters of the proposal said they liked the idea of having local law enforcement and giving the town greater control over hiring, department operations and its budget.
Opponents, however, raised concerns about whether the town has accounted for all of the costs associated with operating an independent police department.
The town currently has a law enforcement contract with the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office for approximately $93,000 annually. Town council members said they believe the total cost of those services is closer to $247,000 when other budgetary expenses are taken into consideration.
Cascade County Sheriff Jesse Slaughter disagreed with that assessment, reiterating during Thursday’s meeting that the $93,000 contract is a flat rate that includes Sheriff’s Office services.
Slaughter previously said the contract includes resources such as patrol deputies, detectives, SWAT, Search and Rescue and K-9 services without additional charges to the town.
The town has estimated that operating its own municipal police department would require an annual budget of approximately $176,000.
Slaughter attended Thursday’s meeting and repeated his concerns about the financial and operational challenges of creating an independent department.
Other speakers also raised concerns about staffing and officer retention. Some pointed to other small Montana communities that established their own police departments but eventually returned to relying on county sheriff’s offices because of the costs associated with running a department and difficulties retaining officers in smaller communities.
Cascade residents also brought up their frustrations with town council members allegedly already purchasing police vehicles.
Under the proposed ordinance, the mayor would have general supervisory control over the department and appoint its members and officers, with the police chief subject to confirmation by the Town Council. Officers would be required to meet Montana’s minimum law enforcement qualifications and complete required training through the Montana Law Enforcement Academy.
The proposal would need to receive two votes from the Town Council before the town could ultimately move forward. The first vote was held Thursday night.
The town is expected to continue working through the proposal and its potential financial and operational impacts before a final decision is made.
