HELENA — There are two candidates in the race for Lewis and Clark County sheriff and coroner on the ballot for November's election.
(The order of the candidates is based on alphabetical last names.)
Current Sheriff Leo Dutton is up for reelection and has been in the role for the last 17 years.
“I still love the job, and I have a great crew that helps me ensure safety, service, and trust,” Dutton shared.
Dutton has been with the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office for over four decades and also worked as an EMT with St. Peter’s Health, St. Peter’s Hospital at the time.
“I have spent a lifetime working to be better, and not only me, but everybody who works with me and for me,” Dutton expressed.
Dutton says he is proud of the things he has accomplished in his role, like the million-dollar command vehicle paid for by grants that has supported efforts statewide and new body cameras, but he says he is not done yet and wants to find a long-term solution to the challenges at the detention center.
Dutton said, “What has inspired me is that there are still things that need to be done and I now have the understanding and, if you will, the wisdom.”
The other candidate running for sheriff is Chris Norris, a deputy at the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office for the past 9 years.
Norris noted, “It really comes down to a common theme; it is time for a change.”
Norris began his career in law enforcement as an Explorer Cadet at age 15. He later moved to Montana and joined the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office as a detention officer.
But he doesn’t just bring law enforcement experience; “I worked in the private sector, I know how to manage a budget, how to manage people, and how to lead,” Norris said.
Norris says his priorities are also finding a solution to the staffing shortage at the jail and expanding student resource officer programs.
“We have a great opportunity to make sure we have deputies in the right places to protect our most valuable assets in the community, which is our children,” Norris shared.
The office of the sheriff is nonpartisan in Lewis and Clark County, and the term is four years. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3.
