Sheriff T.J. McDermott Celebrates Winning his Second Term

Missoula County Sheriff TJ McDermott celebrated along with his family and colleagues in the sheriff’s office on Tuesday night as he defeated independent Travis Wafstet to win his second term in office.

Reached at a downtown restaurant where he spent the evening, McDermott thanked his supporters, and then looked ahead at some of the initiatives he wants to pursue in his second term as sheriff.

“We are interested in expanding our School Resource Deputy Program,” said McDermott. “We know that program had been long gone for any years, but having just one deputy cover about 13 schools is a lot to ask, so we’re hoping to work with the County Commissioners and expand that program with the hops that someday getting a deputy sheriff in each school as a resource officer and just knowing how important that early connection is with our youth.”

McDermott also pointed out the increasing drug problem in Missoula County.

“Our culture and our community right now really has a problem with methamphetamine and illegal drug use,” he said. “It’s causing increases in violent crime, we’ve had some very significant violent crime here recently and so I want to make sure that we can fully fund our drug and violent crime task forces to try to deal with this methamphetamine epidemic that’s going on in the community.”

(Also pictured is Undersheriff Rich Maricelli)