Seeley Lake's New Deputy Sworn In

SEELEY LAKE - Three new deputies were sworn in with the Missoula County Sheriff's Office Dec. 30. Seeley Lake's new deputy Mike Sunderland, Jr. was among them. Sunderland is currently doing his field training program and will be attending the academy from April through the end of June. He anticipates moving to Seeley Lake after all his training is complete.

Sunderland grew up in Missoula, Mont. He started riding in a patrol car with his father Mike Sunderland, Sr., now a retired lieutenant with the Missoula County Police department when he was 10 years old. His father was his inspiration for pursuing law enforcement.

Sunderland was a cadet with the Missoula County Sheriff's Department before he turned 18-years-old. He then became a reserve deputy for Missoula County in 1996. When he moved to the Bitterroot in 2001, he continued working as a reserve deputy for the Ravalli County Sheriff's Department.

Sunderland explained that a reserve deputy is a non-paid officer. He completed 140 hours of training with the department prior to beginning his service.

"We donate our time to the community," said Sunderland. Sunderland said sometimes there was pay for special duties, "but most of the time it was volunteer."

Sunderland held a full-time job in the restaurant supply business and worked 12-24 hours per week as a reserve deputy.

During his service as a reserve deputy, Sunderland received a Certificate of Accommodation from Missoula County for his work on a large drug investigation that was tied to a triple homicide. He was also one of two reserve deputies to achieve patrol certification for Ravalli County. This allowed him to take calls for service without a full-time deputy with him.

Sunderland has always hoped to go into law enforcement full-time. Being a reserve deputy brought him one step closer to achieving that goal.

"I like being able to affect someone in a positive manner," said Sunderland. "I'm not able to save the world from all the evil but I can affect someone positively. That's why I enjoy it."

After passing all the preliminary tests including the Montana approved physical agility test, a written exam, an extensive background check and several interviews, Sunderland was chosen as the full time deputy for Seeley Lake and started December 2015.

Sunderland is not a stranger to Seeley Lake. He visited the area often during his childhood. He attended and counseled at the Law Enforcement Youth Camp at Camp Paxson for several years. When he was a cadet, he rode with Sergeant Robert Parcell when Sgt. Parcell was stationed in Missoula.

He looks forward to living and working in Seeley Lake.

"I have a lot of experience in small communities and I like that style of policing," said Sunderland. "I like getting to know people in the community and helping them in time of need."

Sunderland said he is an avid outdoorsman. When he's not working, he loves to hunt and fish as well as enjoy time with his family.