I got my start in community service by becoming a first responder on the Cody and Powell ambulance services. Through this, I would start to learn how organizations that work for the community operate, work with people who just want to help, and actively work to make my community a safer place.

When I left active service and moved back to the Yellowstone County area, I began working on my bachelor’s at Montana State University - Billings. I was studying criminal justice and found an internship as a reserve police officer in Laurel. I would end up learning so much in this position, and I believe we need to can have similar programs in the county.

Yellowstone County used to have a robust reserve deputy and reserve detention officer program. These programs have largely disappeared, and this is a negative for the whole community. Bringing back reserve staff would benefit the community in several ways. It would give the county a pool of individuals from this community who have already demonstrated their dedication. If we do this, more of our future full-time staff members would come from the Yellowstone County area or have already moved here and are committed to this community.

I will work with Montana State University - Billings and Rocky Mountain College, offering the resources and as many possible places for these students to obtain skills and knowledge to grow into their criminal justice careers. This program would be formed with an eye to the future, as we should always be in the community.