Powder River Examiner -

The following piece presents a series of answers to questions posed to the candidates running for the contested local positions in the June primary election. This week we have the candidates for the Sheriff and Treasurer/Assessor positions, and next week plan on the four candidates for the open Commissioner position. The candidates were asked the following: Please provide us with your background, education, and some personal history. For those in incumbent positions we asked: Please list one or two professional accomplishments from your current term, and What are two goals you would like to accomplish if re-elected? For those challenging for a position: What qualities and skills would you bring to this position? and What are two goals you would like to accomplish if elected?

Running for Sheriff are incumbent Allen Drane, Jr and challenger Devin Boman. Running for Treasurer/Assessor are incumbent Patty Phillippi and challenger Hattie Arithson. We present the answers with minimal editing from what the candidate originally delivered. Absentee ballots will be mailed on May 13th. A candidate forum, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, is planned for Wednesday, May 25th in the high school auditorium. The primary election will take place June 7th.

I am a Powder River County native. Drane Drilling was founded in Broadus by my grandpa, Earl Drane, in 1945. My father, Allen, worked in the family business his entire life. I was raised working in the drilling business as well as running cattle and sheep on the family ranch on Pilgrim Creek. My mother, Vicki, grew up in Carter and Powder River counties. My parents and grandparents, Dempsey and Vivian Dodd, owned the Big Sky Bar for a time in the 80's. I am a PRCHS alumni. I enlisted as a Military Police Officer in the U.S. Army in 1987, serving until 1991. In 1992 I met my wife, Melani, and we married in 1994. Melani is also a PRCHS graduate and is employed as a one-on-one aid in Broadus Schools. In early 1997 I reenlisted in the U.S. Army and Melani, Raevyn, and I moved to Fort Polk, LA. In 1998, Taylore joined our family. We returned home and in 2001 Kylee completed our family. During my adult life I have worked as a ranch hand for Slug Mills and Chris and John Mangen, running heavy equipment for Harry Weeden, and more years than I can count in the family drilling business. The years in the drilling business continue to serve me well, as it made me familiar with every corner of our county. Other than the years that I was stationed at Fort Polk, Melani and I have raised our family in Powder River County. Raevyn and her family live here in Broadus. Taylore and her fiancé, Monte, live in Fairview, near his family. Kylee is employed in a criminal justice setting, gaining experience and working toward her career goals.

I attended Dawson Community College, completing the Reserve Officer Training Program in the spring of 2009. Over the next year I worked as a Reserve Deputy in Powder River and Rosebud counties. In 2010 I was offered and accepted a fulltime position with Rosebud County Sheriff's Office in the Ashland office. I graduated from the Law Enforcement Officer Basic Course through the Montana Law Enforcement Academy in 2011.

In 2014 I was honored to have been elected Sheriff of Powder River County. In the years since 2011, I have completed over 500 hours of continuing education.

I have received the Advanced Law Enforcement Officer Certification, the Supervisory Law Enforcement Officer Certification, Instructor Certification, Firearms Instructor Certification, and Coroner Certification.

Soon after being sworn in as Sheriff, I initiated the transition to using a Computer Assisted Dispatch (CAD) system. This streamlines the work of dispatch and that of the officers, as well as tracking activity. Using our 911 funds, the 911 system has been updated to be as ready for NextGen 911 as possible in Montana at this time. Powder River County was one of the first counties in our region to enable Text to 911. NextGen 911 is coming but as technology is constantly changing, no one seems to know exactly what it will look like and be. With these updates, all phone and radio communications are now automatically recorded and saved. With the storage capability we have in place, interactions with the public, including communication recordings, officer logs and reports, and dispatch logs can be accessed nearly indefinitely. We were able to secure a grant to update and secure the dispatch center. This was necessary in order to continue our access to the Criminal Justice Information Network (CJIN), the system that allows the dispatcher to run an individual's information, checking for warrants, and vehicle information when an officer is in a stop or other call for service. Had we not had the grant secured, and the project released for a bid, we would have lost our access to CJIN in 2020. CJIN access is a crucial component for the Sheriff's Office and County Attorney to fulfill their duties. The information that comes through CJIN must be kept secure, for the privacy of all individuals. All radio equipment, including the repeater towers, now meet FCC requirements. The last part needed to update the dispatch base radio has finally arrived after being on backorder for several months and should be installed this week.

Officer safety is always a priority to me. I was able to make headway in this area with the cooperation of the commissioners. The department now issues firearms, all officers use the same caliber ammunition, and all magazines are interchangeable. This is both a safety and cost saving measure. The department now outfits each officer with a ballistic vest and body camera, and the tasers have been updated. Patrol vehicles have undergone equipment additions and updating. The dashcam system has been updated, radios have been updated, and transport cages have been added. Each patrol vehicle now has a patrol rifle, and the patrol shotguns were updated last year.

Staying up to date on training and certifications is also a priority. All dispatchers complete Public Safety Communications Officer training at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy within one year of hire. All deputies must successfully complete the Law Enforcement Officer Basic Course and be certified by Public Safety Officer Standards and Training (POST) Council. While a reserve officer is not required to complete the Law Enforcement Officer Basic Course, I have chosen to only employ reserve officers that have. I believe an untrained officer presents an undue risk to our county and residents. I encourage all members of our department to attend trainings that they feel will be beneficial to them and our department.

There are always many goals and needs the Sheriff's Office must meet and work toward. Currently, we are in the process of choosing a new CAD system as the current system is at end of life, one of the challenges of never-ending technological advancements. This update will benefit all of our emergency services, including fire and ambulance. My goal is to enable all emergency services to provide the best service possible for the citizens of our county seamlessly. I hope to have the new CAD in place within a year. Our department and other law enforcement agencies are working with Montana Department of Transportation to address issues on the highway 212 corridor. My goal is to reduce safety concerns with drivers and issues that arise during adverse driving conditions. I would like to find a way to provide a quality self-defense and awareness course to our students, as was arranged by Pat Hayes years ago. As our kids grow and leave our community my goal is for them to have the tools and awareness to protect their personal safety. I would also like to provide community education about law enforcement and Montana law, drug awareness, internet safety, human trafficking indicators, and scams. While our department has made multiple drug related arrests in the last few years, the work never ends. Our department will continue to train in drug interdiction and to focus on reducing the use and sale of illegal drugs in our county. My ultimate goal is to stop the use and sales of illegal drugs and end the negative impact it has on families. As with all law enforcement officers, my biggest goals are to continue to safeguard lives and property, keep the peace, and ensure the Constitutional Rights of all are not infringed.