Gallatin Media Center

Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, Local Law Enforcement Prepare for Presidential Campaign Visit

For immediate release: August 1, 2024

The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office is working diligently with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to ensure a safe and peaceful visit from Former President Donald Trump on Friday, Aug. 9.

In preparation for this event, our office is developing a comprehensive Incident Action Plan (IAP) with the assistance of Gallatin County Emergency Management. This coordinated effort includes collaboration with all local law enforcement agencies, including Montana State University Police, Bozeman Police Department, Belgrade Police Department, Montana Highway Patrol, Montana Department of Criminal Investigation, Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport Police, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and other first responders.

“Our top priority is the safety of the dignitaries and all attendees at the rally,” said Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer. “We are working closely with the U.S. Secret Service and our local and state law enforcement partners to ensure a secure environment for everyone involved.”

Gallatin County has a proud history of hosting high-profile visits, including those by President Obama, Vice President Biden, President Trump and Vice President Pence. Neither the campaigns nor the federal government pay for any of the services local first responders provide for these visits. However, we have built-in contingencies in our budgets for events just like this.

“We value our strong relationships with federal partners and are confident in our ability to execute a plan that prioritizes the safety of all,” Springer said.

Further information will be available in the coming week as planning progresses.

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For immediate release: July 31, 2024

Today, the Trump campaign released information of a Trump rally in Bozeman through Montanatalks.com. The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that they were made aware of the Trump campaign’s intent to hold a rally in Gallatin County; however details of the event have not yet been confirmed.

The campaign will provide details like date, time, venue location and other information to the public as they are able to confirm. Our local law enforcement will be working with state and federal law enforcement agencies to ensure a safe and peaceful event happens once we have those details.

Sheriff Dan Springer

Gallatin County

On 7/18/2024, at 6:19PM, 911 dispatch received a text-to-911 from a hiker approximately 3 miles up Wheeler Mountain Trail who had become lost and needed assistance getting out.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue (GCSSAR) volunteers from the valley section responded to assist the hiker. A hasty team was sent up the trail and relatively quickly located the lost hiker, and after a quick medical evaluation, the hiker was guided back down the trail without incident.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to commend the hiker for asking for help early and having a means of communication. Even with bad cell reception, text-to-911 is a valuable tool Gallatin County 911 is able to use to assist you. Even simple hikes on a trail can quickly turn into an emergency, and the sooner we are notified the easier it is to help.

For Immediate Release: July 22, 2024

Summer heat sends many people to their favorite outdoor recreation spots, but it also increases the potential for Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). When HABs are present it can be dangerous to your health. The Gallatin City-County Health Department wants to make sure you, your family, and your pets stay safe while enjoying the lakes, rivers, and streams in and around Gallatin County.

Read the full press release here.

For Immediate Release: July 16, 2024

The Gallatin Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) Program is headed to a new location in Belgrade! The Belgrade WIC office is now in the Heck/Quaw building at 91 West Southview Ave., Entrance 8 in Belgrade. This space is provided through a cooperative partnership with the Belgrade School District to better serve the families of Belgrade, Three Forks, Clarkston, and Manhattan.

Read the entire press release here.

Find more information on the Gallatin WIC Program here.

On July 9th, 2024, at 10:18 PM, Gallatin County 911 Dispatch received a call from a skier who had encountered an individual having trouble making their way down “The Great One” couloir near Fairy Lake. The individual had suffered a fall and was bleeding from an injury to the shin and suspected a possible broken ankle.

The reporting party and the injured subject made their way to a rocky overhang out of the elements and awaited assistance from rescuers. Volunteers from the GCSSAR Valley section and Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to the trailhead near Fairy Lake. A hasty team made their way to the patient in order to conduct a medical assessment and provide first aid while a second team followed with additional equipment and a third team cleared the trail of various obstructions that had gathered during the winter. GCSSAR volunteers were able to assist the subject to the trailhead where they elected to transport themselves to follow-on medical care.

Sheriff Springer would like to thank the individual who stopped to assist a fellow skier in need and remind recreators that it is always a good idea to have the means to contact emergency responders when engaging in extreme sports. Furthermore, it is advised to be sure to carry more food and water than you expect to need because the remote nature of backcountry rescue means you may be waiting several hours for help if you find yourself unable to get out on your own.

On July 9, 2024, at approximately 5:45 pm, there was a rollover motor vehicle crash on Gallatin Road at mile marker 71 (immediately north of the mouth of Gallatin Canyon in the northbound passing zone area). The crash resulted in the death of the driver. The driver was travelling southbound in a pickup truck towing a camper trailer.

The joint investigation involving the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol has gained information that a dark sedan was travelling northbound at a high rate of speed weaving in and out of traffic and may have caused the crash. The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the dark colored sedan. If you have dash camera footage of the incident or information about the vehicle, including make, model, color, and/or license plate number, please contact Montana Highway Patrol Dispatch at 855-647-3777.

On July 2, 2024, at 8:51 PM Gallatin County Dispatch received a call from a hiker in need of assistance. The hiker had been trail running with a group when they injured their leg. The hiker provided his location indicating he was close to the top of Baldy Mountain. The hiker indicated they were in a group with three other individuals who were assisting them down the mountain.

Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue volunteers from the Valley Section responded to the “M” trailhead. Search and Rescue volunteers from the Valley section deployed three teams up the trail carrying various medical gear, warm clothing, and a one-wheel litter. Volunteers contacted the hiker on the ridge above the M. After loading the hiker into the litter and providing the group with warm clothing, they escorted the group back to the trail head. The injured hiker was taken to Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center by a member of his group in a personal vehicle.

Sheriff Dan Springer would like to commend the hikers for having packing sufficient food and water supplies as well as having communication devices. Early activation with a direct way of contact not only provided our teams with an accurate location, but the patient was also able to relay information about what happened and injury details. This type of information can expedite rescue and ensures our crews have all necessary supplies, resulting in a faster and more efficient rescue.

For immediate release: July 1, 2024

On the afternoon of Sunday, June 30, 2024, the Gallatin County Coroner’s Office along with Montana Highway Patrol investigated a fatal motor vehicle accident between a motorcycle and an SUV that occurred at the intersection of Sourdough Road and Lariat Loop.

The motorcyclist was traveling southbound on Sourdough Road when she struck an SUV turning northbound from Lariat Loop. The driver of the motorcycle was declared dead at the scene. The victim was identified as 23-year-old Mackenzie Hatter of Big Sky. Her cause of death was determined to be blunt force injuries and the manner was ruled an accident.

Sheriff Dan Springer wishes to express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mackenzie Hatter during this time.

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