Madison County Sheriff's Office
Non-Emergency Public Information & Notices
BUSY 3 WEEKS
The Sheriff's Office has been very busy during the past few weeks of summer. In addition to handling the ususal vehicle accidents, speeding tickets, domestic disputes and vandalism calls, the department has also accomplished the following:
a. Arrest of a wanted fugitive with a $150,000 out of state warrant
b. Arrest of two out of county, grand theft subjects who were seen taking a trailer with two snowmobiles from Ennis. Sheriff Dave Schenk with the help of MCSO Detective Young and MHP 180 brought down the two suspects later in the day - several hours after the initial report was recieved just before 5 AM.
One of the suspects was a wanted violent fugitive with a $30,000 bench warrant from another county - and both have long criminal histories.
c. Arrest of a suspect in the theft and recovery of stolen weapons from a local county home.
Each of the above incidents are very time consuming, labor intensive cases that require many hours of interviews, investigations, documentation and follow-up phone calls.
Additionally, since Madison County does not have an approved jail (only a 72 hour holding facility) the prisoners need to be transported for numerous court appearances to and from other jurisdictions that have adequate detention facilities.
Deputies and detention officers have been busy transporting prisoners back and forth to Butte Silverbow, Boulder, Bozeman and Townsend - resulting in additional overtime costs and even a reduction of available street patrol deputies.
Many residents remain unaware of the accomplishments and hard work of the department and its employees - a team of Deputies, Communication Dispatchers and Detention Officers.
Perhaps a reminder is periodically justified - that very bad and dangerous people frequent the county regularly - and residents need to be aware and vigilant as well as understand the challenges facing the department on a daily basis.
Last Updated - November 23, 2009
Madison County Halls of Justice
(Courthouse)
The photo above is the Madison County Courthouse located in Virginia City. Through the decades, many trials
(and many bad people) have been brought to justice in this majestically simple room.
The courthouse was originally constructed in 1875 and is still used today for court services. The "Courthouse" - as the building is known - is home to various county departments - including the Sheriff's Office.
Virginia City was the Montana Territorial Capital from 1865 to 1875 - back in the days when bloody gunfights, gruesome public hangings, vigilante ideals and wild west
"saloon brawls" were commonplace.
Virginia City is also a place where many feel that restless spirits, coupled with the areas long history of violence, have somehow joined forces to produce strange occurrences - and more than just an occasional ghostly encounter.
A National Historic Landmark, Virginia City, one of the State’s original gold rush boom towns, is now a tourist stop for thousands of vacationeers each year.
At one time, Virginia City was a crowded and bustling home to well over 10,000 residents. During the mining boom of the 1860’s and 1870’s, Virginia City had all the threats,
violence and makings of the very wildest
"wild west boom towns" on earth.
The city now boasts a population of only about 140 people.
A far cry from the estimated 15 to 20 thousand people that once called this historically restless place home - in the last half of the 1800's.
CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMITS
The Madison County Sheriff’s office has had a major increase in requests for Concealed Weapon Permits. While we would like to ensure that every qualifying individual obtains a CWP in a reasonable time period, the following procedures could speed up the CWP process.
1)
State Law requires that any CWP holder provide proof of a firearms training and familiarity course. This would include a Hunter Education certificate, prior Law Enforcement and in many cases, prior military experience.
State Law requires that any CWP holder provide proof of a firearms training and familiarity course. This would include a Hunter Education certificate, prior Law Enforcement and in many cases, prior military experience. Currently a Hunters Education Course must be taken to obtain a hunting license, however this hasn’t always been the case. If you find that you do not have proof of firearms familiarity training, please contact the Sheriff’s Office Detention staff to obtain information on attending a one day course. Occasionally, a course is offered in Logan Montana, just outside of Three Forks.
As a side note, many people may have taken the course but can no longer find their certificate. If this is the case please contact Detention Officer Carmin Hill. It may be possible to obtain a duplicate.
2)AN APPOINTMENT IS REQUIRED. Once you have your application filled out, contact the Detention Staff to schedule an appointment. The Detention Staff will work to schedule a time that is convenient for you.
AN APPOINTMENT IS REQUIRED. Once you have your application filled out, contact the Detention Staff to schedule an appointment. The Detention Staff will work to schedule a time that is convenient for you. Please call
1-406-843-5301
if you have questions
Thank you
Detention Officer Carmin Hill
HOW TO AVOID BEING A SCAM VICTIM
DEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON - follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 98% of scam attempts.
REMEMBER - If an offer appears to good to be true - it probably is.
NEVER WIRE FUNDS VIA WESTERN UNION, MONEYGRAM or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer and thief.
FAKE CASHIER CHECKS & MONEY ORDERS ARE COMMON, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered weeks later.
Don't accept payment from far away places - Don't send purchased items until a check or money order has been given 21 days in your bank in order to clear verification of funds.
NEVER GIVE OUT FINANCIAL INFORMATION (bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.)
AVOID DEALS INVOLVING SHIPPING OR ESCROW SERVICES and know that ONLY A SCAMMER WILL "GUARANTEE" YOUR TRANSACTION
Sheriff Dave Schenk
Undersheriff Roger Thompson
Sergeant Phil Fortner
The Madison County Sheriff's Office consist of a hardworking, close knit group of individuals who strive to make Madison County a safe and secure place.
The Sheriff's Office supply's law enforcement service to roughly 3,500 square miles of some of the most isolated, picturesque and mountainous rural environments in the continental United States.
The "Black and White" of this past week -
Madison Co. Sheriff’s Dispatch log
Madison Co. Sheriff’s Dispatch log
November 15, 2009 thru November 21, 2009
11/15/09
Received wildlife complaint at Mt Hwy 287 mm 24
T/s on Main St, Harrison
T/s at US Hwy 287 mm 49
T/s on US Hwy 287
Deputies dispatched to domestic complaint in Silver Star area
Received criminal mischief complaint at 327 Waterloo Rd
T/s on Main St, Harrison
Received request for deputy to come by 420 Mill St
Dispatched HFD to accident at Mt Hwy 84 mm 2
Received theft complaint in Rochester Basin
T/s at US Hwy 287 mm 43
T/s on US Hwy 287 at Airport Rd
T/s at US Hwy 287 mm 39
11/16/09
Deputy dispatched to vehicle accident on Norris Hill
Dispatched EA to Bozeman
Received theft complaint at 212 W 9th Ave
Dispatched EA to Bozeman
Dispatched RVA to Butte
Deputy dispatched to vehicle accident on Jefferson St
Dispatched RVA & AQRU to vehicle accident at Mt Hwy 287 mm 22
11/17/09
Deputy dispatched to traffic complaint S of Norris
Received theft complaint at 25 Middle Rd
Received report of vehicle accident on Mt Hwy 287 at cemetery corner
Deputy dispatched to a disturbance at 24 Flyfisher Ln
Deputy dispatched to juvenile matter at 109 Mayflower Rd
11/18/09
Received traffic complaint at US Hwy 287 mm 34
Received animal complaint on Mt Hwy 287 N of Sheridan
Received trespass complaint at 17 Privratsky Ln
Deputy dispatched to wildlife complaint at US Hwy 287 mm 40
T/s on US Hwy 287 N of Harrison
T/s at Mt Hwy 287 mm 44
Deputy dispatched to domestic complaint at 301 E Ennis St
11/19/09
Deputy dispatched to vehicle accident on Main St, Sheridan
Deputy dispatched to standby to assure peace at 121 S Third St
SAR activated for rescue in Bear Creek Wildlife Management area
Deputy dispatched to welfare check at 107 Ruby St
Prisoner transport from West Yellowstone
Received animal complaint at US Hwy 287 N mm 69
Received suspicious circumstances complaint at 5 S Willow Creek Rd
Received fraud complaint at Creighton Block Gallery
T/s at Mt Hwy 287 mm 23
T/s at US Hwy 287 mm 50
11/20/09
Deputy dispatched to theft complaint in Silver Star
Dispatched AFD to Laurin area
Dispatched RVA to 102 S Main St
Received an alarm at 182 Aurora Creek Rd
T/s at Mt Hwy 287 mm 25
Received traffic complaint on Norris Hill
T/s at US Hwy 287 mm 45
T/s at US Hwy 287 mm 51
11/21/09
Deputy dispatched to 100 Sunrise Loop
Dispatched RVA & AQRU to 104 E Warren St
T/s at US Hwy 287 mm 49
Received wildlife complaint on Pennington Ln
Received wildlife complaint on E Bench Rd
T/s at US Hwy 287 mm 67
Received report of vehicle accident on Mt Hwy 287 at Ennis PO
Deputy dispatched to wildlife complaint by Old VC Highway & Two Bumps Rd
Received report of missing person at 323 S Madison St
The Sheriff’s Office made 16 traffic stops and received 42 calls for service between November 15, 2009 and November 21, 2009
