Missoula County, MT
Home MenuMissoula County Sheriff's Office - Services
We look forward to serving those in Missoula County, but ask that you please call and make an appointment to speak with a deputy or detective regarding a non-emergent matter, to speak to members or our administrative staff or about all concealed weapon permit applications. Appointments can be made by calling 406-258-4810.
Missoula County Sheriff’s Office will continue to offer fingerprint services. Fingerprinting will be offered by appointment on Wednesday and Thursday of each week from 1 to 4 p.m. Appointments can be made by calling 406-258-4810. Individuals with an appointment will be required to check their temperature, ensuring a temperature reading below 100.4, prior to completing the fingerprint process. Masks will be required. Hand washing and hand sanitizer will be provided upon completion of the process.
The following are the major services we provide the community. Please contact our office at (406) 258-4810 with questions.
- Coroner
- Detention Facility
- Patrol Division
- Detective Division
- Support Services
- Administration
- Special Response Team (SRT)
Coroner
The coroner is an elected public official. In Montana, the coroner can be a separate office, or it can be combined with the position of sheriff, as it is in Missoula County. The coroner can appoint deputy county coroners.
The coroner must determine the cause and manner of death. Manner of death is listed as accident, homicide, suicide, natural, undetermined, or pending (waiting for autopsy results). Cause of death is a medical-legal determination, such as cancer, heart attack, or blunt force trauma to the head.
The coroner must attend a 40-hour class on death investigation, then attend 16 hours of training every two years. The coroner can get assistance from the State Medical Examiner.
The coroner inquires into any death that was caused by other than natural causes (accident, homicide), or when no licensed physician will sign the death certificate. The death certificates are filed at the local registrar's office.
Detention Facility
The Missoula County Detention Facility opened Nov. 1, 1999, replacing the old county jail, which had been outdated and overcrowded for many years. MCDF holds county prisoners who are awaiting trial or who are serving sentences of less than one year. The secure juvenile detention unit is in a separate wing of the same building. MCDF phone number: (406) 258-4000.
Patrol Division
The patrol division is called the heart of the department. It is certainly the most visible, with deputies on patrol in marked vehicles. The patrol division has four teams, each headed by a sergeant, who work 12 hours shifts. Allowing for vacations, training, and sick leave, the shifts average 3 to 4 deputies per shift. Because of the size of the jurisdiction, resident deputies are stationed in Seeley Lake and Condon.
The patrol deputies respond to calls as dispatched by 9-1-1, assisting citizens and investigating everything from dog bites to homicides. The patrol deputies conduct interviews, photograph and fingerprint crime scenes as appropriate and document investigations with reports. The patrol division enforces traffic violations, serves arrest warrants and serves legal papers such as summonses and subpoenas, orders of protection and jury summonses.
The patrol division is headed by a captain, with a lieutenant who is the assistant administrator, and a lieutenant who serves as the department training officer. Attached to patrol are two deputies who are assigned to serve civil process, and another who is the EOD, Search and Rescue, Ranch, and Forest Service Patrol coordinator.
Detective Division
The Detective Division is divided into Property Crimes (vandalism, theft, and burglary), Persons Crimes (assaults, rapes, homicide), Warrants, and Narcotics. The detectives develop their own cases and also follow up on investigations initiated by the patrol division, if needed. They forward completed reports to the County Attorney's office for prosecution. The detectives may handle request for assistance from people who come to the office during business hours.
One detective and an evidence clerk are responsible for evidence storage and developing crime scene photographs. They handle the tracking and storage of evidence from crime scenes and make that evidence available for court.
The detective division checks records from pawn shops and tries to match found or recovered property with lost or stolen property.
The warrants officer prepares information for arrest warrants, and arranges extradition transportation of officers and prisoners. The Detective Division is headed by a captain, with a lieutenant, sergeant and detective specialists. Detective and Patrol Divisions have equal rank structures. A move to detectives is not necessarily a promotion.
Support Services
Civil Process
Staff in the civil process office handles processing of papers (legal and non-judiciary) that are given for deputies to serve only in Missoula County. These papers include civil suits, evictions, levies, subpoenas, orders of protection, papers relating to dissolution and/or parenting, child support, sheriff's sales, and other seized property. The civil office also handles the initial process for abandoned vehicles and some junk vehicles.
Please specify "Civil Process Bureau" when addressing mail to us, to avoid unnecessary delays in delivery. Attention, users of UPS and FEDEX: these parcels must now be addressed to us at 199 W. Pine, Missoula MT 59802, the new address of Central Services. They will no longer be delivered to us if addressed to 200 W. Broadway, Missoula MT 59802. The following forms are also available on our Forms page.
Concealed Weapons Permit
The Missoula County Sheriff's Office issues Concealed Weapons Permits in accordance with Montana State Law. If you are interested in acquiring your own CWP, you will need to be fingerprinted and a criminal history background check will be conducted before your permit is issued. To find out more or to start your application, click here. Schedule an appointment for CCWs on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 1:00 P.M. and 4:00 P.M. as appointments are required.
Renewals do not require an appointment. Renewal applications can be submitted, in-person, Monday-Friday from 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Mailed renewals cannot be accepted.
Fingerprinting
Fingerprint services are offered on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1:00 P.M. and 4:00 P.M. Appointments required.
Cost is $15 for the first fingerprint card and $5 for each additional card. Payment may be made with cash, check or credit/debit card.
Schedule your Finger Printing appointment here.
Administration
The sheriff's office has an Administrative Captain who works on finding, applying for and administering grants. He works on the budget, coordinates internal promotions and manages the fleet of vehicles.
The Sheriff's Office has a support staff of civilian workers who are responsible for keeping the criminal justice records created by investigations and arrests. The staff transcribes taped interviews, enters wanted persons into the NCIC system and makes copies of documents for other agencies. Personnel handle the Uniform Crime Reports, statistics, and departmental mail.
A staff member greets and screens visitors, and handles incoming phone calls. Another does payroll and budget.
At critical incidents, such as Special Response Team call-outs, a staff person responds to provide immediate record-keeping functions.
Special Response Teams (SRT)
The Special Response Team's purpose is to handle "high risk" situations which the individual deputy is not trained or equipped to handle. These situations include barricaded subjects, hostage rescue, high risk fugitive arrests or search warrants, protective services, crowd control, institutional riots, and special event management. Members of this unit are trained and work as a team. SRT provides 24-hour coverage by means of a pager call-out to provide immediate response upon request.
SRT has four components. The first is the most well-known, the Tactical team. Officers are trained as entry, arrest, sniper/observer teams. They work with handguns, long guns, less lethal, and chemical weapons.
The Negotiations team is trained to deal with hostage-takers, barricaded suspects, and suicidal persons.
The Tactical Emergency Medical Services involves EMT and paramedics who receive some tactical training, and who provide treatment for injured victims, officers, and suspects.
The Support team provides clerical assistance with record-keeping, monitoring radio traffic, and providing support to the other three parts of the team.