HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-21-21 Correspondence - Justice Court ltr to Gallatin County Commission GALLATIN COUNTY JUSTICE COURT'
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RICK WEST,JUSTICE OF THE PEACE �'�" �o� BRYAN ADAMS,JUSTICE OF THE PEACE
DEPARTMENT#1 x a Department#2
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Law &Justice Center 615 South 16'h Avenue,Room#168
Bozeman,MT 59715 -406-582-2191 -Fax 406-582-2163-justice@gallatin.mt.gov
January 21, 2021
Gallatin County Commissioners
Scott MacFarlane, Zach Brown, and Joe Skinner
311 West Main Street, Rm. 306
Bozeman, MT 59715
Honorable Commissioners:
On Friday night, January 15, 2021, a man drove his truck into the steps of the
Law and Justice Center before taking his own life. In addition, members of the
Lewis and Clark Bomb Squad were called in due to a suspicious package in the
back of this person's vehicle.
Gallatin County Interim Sheriff Springer commented the agency strives to keep
things as safe as possible and to look out the safety of the judges in the Law
and Justice Center. Interim Chief of Police Veltkamp stated the police are ready
to respond to any incident with the appropriate response. Both departments do
an admirable job.
However, on this day, Gallatin County Justice Court was completely in the blind
about this incident. There was no notification by law enforcement of an
imminent threat of danger, or of a bomb. Justice court staff only learned about
the incident from a citizen who called the court needing to make a payment to
the court but would not be let in to the building because of the imminent
danger at the door step of the building.
The Law and Justice Center Emergency Procedure Manual, which addresses in
part Bomb or Suspicious Devices protocol, states an immediate evacuation of
the building to a designated safe area should occur. Our staff were horrified
their safety and life was compromised due to the lack of threat notification by
emergency responders.
Justice court relies heavily on law enforcement's proper handling of, and
response to, emergency situations that directly affect the safety and well-being
of the inhabitants of the Law and Justice Center. Unfortunately, we judges and
our staff are left to wonder how well these duties will be discharged should
things of this nature occur in the future.
We judges bring this to your attention as a measure of support for improving
responses and training of our law enforcement to help improve their handling
of any potential threats to Gallatin County Government buildings, which should
aid to re-instill the confidence in elected officials and your employees that their
safety will be looked after properly.
Thank you for your time in addressing these issues.
Best regards.
Judge Rick West, Dept. 1 Judge Brj an Adams, Dept. 2
CC: Bozeman City Commissioners
Gallatin County Sheriff's Office
Bozeman Police Department