Is Montana Really One Of The Worst Ranked For This? I’m Shocked

The last couple of years have been incredibly strange right? I mean we have gone through a pandemic, we have had riots, we have had states wanting to defund the police, etc...you get the picture.

Now there have been some really great things that have also taken place, don't get me wrong.

The newest "trend" that we have, especially here in Bozeman, is working remotely. A lot of people I have met, that have moved here, are working remotely and just enjoying the scenery. But there are some jobs that will never be "remote" jobs. One in particular: Police Officers.

Where does Montana rank when it comes to either being the Best OR the Worst State to be a police officer? Well... it's not good.

Montana is ranked as the 7th WORST state to be a police officer in. Ok, let's get to how these numbers were calculated. How did we get such a crap ranking?

There are three things that help determine the Best and Worst States.

1. Opportunity & Competition. This is the starting salary, the opportunity for salary increases, law enforcement per capita, and a few other things that go into play with this. You can find them HERE.

2. Law Enforcement Training Requirements. Some factors in determining this are the hours of training required, how many continuing education hours are required, and whether a state requires officers to be trained to respond to mental health, substance use, and behavioral disorder issues.

3. Job Hazards & Protections. Are officers required to wear body cameras? Does the state require officers to carry Narcan? How many people are killed by police per capita? There is a long list of hazards and protections, and you can find them all here.  

With all of these factors in place, it has apparently been determined that Montana is ranked 7th overall for WORST State to be a member of law enforcement.