Vote to fight rising crime rates this November

Right now, as I am writing this piece, Aug. 3 at 10 a.m., the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office is engaged in a standoff just north of the Wye with at least two people that were discovered committing a residential burglary. These two men are well known to local law enforcement, the courts, prosecutor’s office and are regulars at the Missoula jail (aka Career Criminals).

Most people will probably never hear about this incident because it is just commonplace anymore. What is also not unusual about this is that one of the people involved in the standoff was just in our jail last week for a different residential burglary but was released back into the community with no bond. He made it six days before being caught again. How many others did he get away with in that six-day period?

Here we are, just a few days later, and the two men are breaking into someone’s home and engaged in a dangerous standoff with law enforcement in a residential neighborhood. Thankfully, as I understand it, the home was not occupied at the time of the burglary or it could have been quite tragic for the homeowners.

These are NOT non-violent people who are committing non-violent crimes. The potential for serious injury and/or death to the victims is extremely high so why are we continually releasing people like this back into the community with ZERO bond?

I sincerely hope the voters will remember this and the rising crime rates when they vote this coming November. If you agree, I would be honored to have your support for my campaign as Missoula County Justice of the Peace, Department 1.

Bill Burt, Candidate Justice of the Peace District 1

Missoula, Montana