Flathead sheriff’s office awarded federal grant

A federal grant could allow the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office to hire an additional deputy.

The office was recently announced as the recipient of a $209,304 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Flathead County was one of 4,590 jurisdictions to apply for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant this year. Undersheriff Pete Wingert said the grant would cover three years of salary for a new position.

First, though, the grant will have to be accepted by Flathead County commissioners, Wingert said. The grant covers three years, but requires a fourth year of funding by local government, he said.

The grant was announced in a joint press release from Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont.

Nearly $298 million in similar grants are expected to be allocated nationwide.

“These resources will keep officers on the streets and they’ll keep Montana’s communities safer for our families, neighbors and small businesses,” Tester said in a prepared statement.