CASCADE COUNTY — Cascade County is officially moving ahead with its reserve School Resource Officer program, initially announced in November 2025, marking the next step in a months-long effort to expand law enforcement presence in schools. The program is authorized under House Bill 323.
“House Bill 323 authorizes the hiring of paid reserve deputies whose primary responsibility in our county will be serving in school safety,” said Cascade County Sheriff Jesse Slaughter. He added that the program will serve “not only our county schools, our city schools, but also our private schools in Cascade County.”
Madison Collier reports - watch the video here:
At a news conference on January 9th, the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office announced the launch of paid reserve school safety deputy positions, with job postings now open and a timeline in place for when deputies could be assigned to schools.
Under the program, paid reserve school safety deputies will be fully sworn deputy sheriffs with the same authority as other deputies under Montana law.
According to Slaughter, Cascade County plans to exceed minimum state training requirements, with reserves receiving firearms training and qualification, defensive tactics, de-escalation instruction, and school-specific training.
He emphasized that the program’s primary goal is deterrence, creating a visible law enforcement presence intended to prevent violent incidents before they occur, while also improving response times and coordination between agencies.
Three paid reserve deputy positions are currently being recruited.
Two of those positions are expected to serve public schools beginning in 2026 and will be partially funded through private support, including a $50,000 donation from Calumet Refinery. Slaughter said that the donation will help cover the cost of standing up the program in its first year.
A third position will be fully funded by Foothills Christian School, making it the first private school in Cascade County to participate in the pilot program. The sheriff’s office said no public funds will be used for that position, with the school covering wages and equipment costs.
Slaughter said the program is designed as a public-private partnership, with the goal of long-term sustainability while minimizing the burden on local taxpayers.
Applications for the paid reserve school safety deputy positions are currently open and will close on February 15.
After the application deadline, candidates will go through a multi-step screening process that includes physical fitness testing, written exams, interviews, background investigations, and psychological evaluations, as required under state law.
Sheriff Slaughter estimated that the process could take several weeks, meaning deputies could be assigned to schools later this spring if hiring stays on schedule.
Slaughter explained that this next step is only one part of a broader, ongoing discussion around school safety. Additional legislative proposals and security measures are expected to be explored in the coming months, with officials committing to continued updates as the program develops.
For more information, click here to visit the Cascade County jobs website.
