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Detention Division

The Detention Facility is a division of the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, overseen by the Sheriff and Undersheriff and is headed by an Administration Commander and Assistant
Commander, an Operations Captain and Lieutenant. The Detention Facility requires nearly 130 total staff to operate.

The Missoula County Detention Facility (MCDF) opened on Nov. 1, 1999, replacing the overcrowded and outdated facility on the fourth floor of the courthouse annex. The facility has two main components: a juvenile detention facility and a county adult detention facility. The total capacity of both components is 394.

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ADMINISTRATION

 

 

Commander

Sheryl Ziegler

Commander Sheryl Ziegler started with the Missoula County Detention Facility in January of 2000 as a Juvenile Detention Officer.  She has since served as a Juvenile Detention Corporal, Detention Training Officer, Adult Detention Sergeant, Administrative Lieutenant, Assistant Commander – Juvenile Detention, Assistant Commander – Adult Detention, and is currently the Missoula County Detention Facility Commander.

Sheryl also coordinates Background Investigations for the Detention Division, supervising 14 Investigators for the division.

 

 

Administrative Lieutenant

Alex Hall

Lieutenant Alex Hall has been with the Missoula County Detention Facility since October of 1999.  During that time, she has served as an Adult Detention Officer, Assistant Shift Supervisor, County Classification Officer, State Hearings Officer, County Unit Manager, and is currently the Administrative Lieutenant.   

 
MCDF Outside Sign
 

DETENTION OPERATIONS

 

 

Captain of Operations

Kenneth White

Captain Kenneth White started his career with the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office in September of 2005. During his career, Captain White has worked as a Patrol Deputy, Patrol Supervisor, Detective Sergeant, Special Teams Sergeant, Special Teams Lieutenant, and is currently the Captain at the Missoula County Detention Facility.

Captain White has also held additional duties throughout his career such as Field Training Officer, Drone Operator, SCUBA Diver, Bomb Technician, Special Response Team (SRT) member, Deputy Coroner, and is also currently the Commander of the Missoula County Bomb Squad and responsible for the Western Montana region.

 

 

Assistant Commander

Tera Tackett

Assistant Commander Tera Tackett started her career with the Missoula County Detention Facility in August of 2000.   During her career, Assistant Commander Tackett has worked as a Detention Officer, Detention Training Officer, Detention Corporal, , Unit Manager, Training Lieutenant, CPR Instructor and, Hostage Negotiator.

Assistant Commander Tackett continues to serve in numerous capacities within the facility and fulfills the role of Background Investigator.

 

 

Chief Detention Officer

Reese Richter

Chief Detention Officer Reese Richter has been with Missoula County Detention Facility since August 1997.  During his career he has worked as a Detention Officer, Detention Response Team Member, Assistant Shift Supervisor, State Classifications Officer, Hearings Officer, Backgrounds Investigator, Transport Supervisor, Unit 1 Manager, and in his current role as Chief Detention Officer.

 

Training Lieutenant

Jason Henry

Lieutenant Jason Henry began his career with the Missoula County Detention Facility in 2013. During his career Lieutenant Henry has held positions as an Adult Detention Officer, Detention Corporal, Health and Safety Officer, Unit Manager, Detention Training Officer, and a member of the Disturbance Response Team.

Lieutenant Henry currently serves as the Training Lieutenant, Volunteer Coordinator, Background Investigator, and Disturbance Response Team Risk Manager.

 

County Jail

Missoula County Detention Facility (MCDF) operates similar to a self-contained town, with a clinic, library, school, counselors, dentist, phone system, commissary (store), banking, housing, religious services, courts and a staff that provides maintenance and security functions. MCDF operates a kitchen that serves approximately 1,200 nutritious meals a day. We have visiting areas for families, friends and attorneys.

There are also several jobs within the jail that inmates perform for a minimal wage. These positions include cooking, cleaning, laundry services, working in the library and floor maintenance.

Missoula County jail inmates include those that have been found guilty and sentenced to county jail time (less than one year). The facility also holds people who have been accused of a crime, and who are awaiting trial. 

We hold inmates for several different law enforcement agencies in Montana, including Missoula Police Department, Montana Highway Patrol, University of Montana Police, the US Marshals Service, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, other County Sheriff’s offices, and the US Forest Service. 

 

Public Jail Roster - To return to this page, close the browser window for the Jail Roster.

 

Trying to find information on an inmate in the Montana Department of Corrections system?  Visit http://app.mt.gov/conweb and search the state's Correctional Offender Network website.

 

Visitation

In Person Public Visitation:
  • Is not permitted during the first 72 hours after an inmate arrives at the facility.

  • Can only be scheduled by calling (406)258-4000 or in person in our lobby.

  • Cannot be scheduled online.

  • Must be scheduled 24 hours in advance.

  • There are no same day visitations.

  • Visiting days and times are assigned according to where inmates are housed.

Offsite & Onsite Video Visitation:
  • Can only be scheduled online at www.smartinmate.com

  • It is the inmate’s responsibility to convey their availability to visitors.

 

 

Communications

Smart Communications provides telecommunication services to inmates at MCDF so they can remain connected with family & friends, legal counsel, and others in their communities.

Inmates are afforded opportunities for telephone calls, video visitation, and email type messaging, via kiosks and tablets in their housing units. 

For more information about inmate communications, please visit www.smartinmate.com.

 

Mail

Routine Postal mail for inmates at MCDF is processed by Smart Communications at an off-site facility.  To ensure your postal mail reaches the intended inmate, please review this information carefully.

Routine mail:  All regular incoming correspondence between an inmate’s friends and family and excludes all legal mail, packages, books, magazines, periodicals, and religious mail.

Routine postal mail must be sent to an inmate using the following format:

Smart Communications/Missoula County Detention Facility Inmate Name and Global #
PO Box 9182
Seminole, FL 33775-3197

Non-Routine mail:  All legal mail, packages, books, magazines, periodicals, and religious mail.  Non-Routine mail must be sent to an inmate using the following format:

Inmate Name Missoula County Detention Facility
2340 Mullan Rd
Missoula, MT 59808

Photographs and pictures included in routine mail will be scanned in color.  After being scanned, the physical portion of the mail will be destroyed.  Do not send items in postal mail you wish to have returned to you.  Mail senders can create a free account at www.MailGuardTracker.com to see if mail has been received, approved, or rejected.  You can also utilize optional email or text message notifications to receive status updates and have any rejected mail returned to you electronically.

 To avoid rejection of your mail, please adhere to the following:

  • Photos will not include sexually explicit or gang related images.  Sexually explicit is defined as any sexually explicit photographs or other material which shows, depicts, or represents, a person, whether male or female, in a partial or total state of nudity; or any photographs or other material which is lewd, obscene, or sexually suggestive in nature.  MCDF Administration, or designee, will make the final determination as to material related to this clause.

  • Do not include in your mail: items which cannot be scanned, newspaper clippings, magazines, envelopes, stamps, blank paper, letters or cards with glitter or any kind of shiny substance, items allowed for purchase on commissary which include, but are not limited to, writing/drawing, and hygiene items sent in from a vendor or private party, or any illegal substances or medications.

  • Be sure to include your name and return address.  Mail without this information will be rejected.

 

Deposits

Electronic deposits can be made with a debit/credit card online at www.correctpay.com for commissary.  Inmates can purchase many items from commissary to include specialized hygiene, food, stationary, games, and phone time/message credits for communications.

Family & friends who wish to make deposits directly to communications platforms (phone, messaging, video visitation), should do so at www.smartinmate.com.  Family & Friends can choose to fund their own account, so an inmate may only call them, or fund the inmate’s PIN account, so the inmate may call anyone with the funds.

Funds can be mailed to 2340 Mullan Road – Missoula, MT  59808. 

  • The inmate’s name as well as the sender’s name and address must be included on the envelope.

  • All appropriate fields must be completed on the money order.  If all relevant information is not included, the money order or cashier’s check will be returned to the sender.

  • We do not accept personal checks.

  • Money orders have a limit of $200.00.

Funds can also be deposited at MCDF via kiosk or reception, or at the Missoula County Courthouse kiosk, located on the 2nd floor of the Annex outside the Sheriff’s Office.

 

Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)

The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was signed into law by President George W. Bush on September 4, 2003. It was created to eliminate sexual abuse in confinement facilities including adult prisons and jails, lockups, community confinement facilities and juvenile facilities.  PREA includes forty-three (43) standards that define three clear goals, to prevent, detect and respond to sexual abuse.  

The Missoula County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) is responsible for protecting the rights of inmates and offenders placed under the Department's custody and supervision.  This includes providing inmates with a safe environment, free from sexual abuse, sexual battery and sexual harassment.  The Department has established a zero-tolerance policy for all forms of sexual abuse, sexual battery and sexual harassment, pursuant to the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003.  Zero-tolerance applies not only to incidents between inmates, but also to incidents involving staff members, contractors, and volunteers.  The policy also encompasses an inmate, staff or volunteer's right to be free from retaliation if they report an incident or participate in an investigation.

Missoula County Detention Facility will ensure that all reports of sexual abuse and sexual harassment are investigated. Sexual harassment violations will be investigated by administrative staff. Criminal investigations of Sexual Abuse will be completed by the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office. The victim will have the right to know the outcome of the investigation and can request a copy of the report.   

For more information on The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), use the resources in the section below. 

For questions or comments regarding The Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) please contact MCDF at [email protected] or call us at (406) 258-4000.

Please use [email protected] to submit 3rd party forms from the list below.

 

Resources:
 

Juvenile Detention

The Missoula County Detention Facility staffs and manages a 24-bed juvenile detention unit, which houses male and female juveniles between the ages of ten and 17 years of age. The unit is licensed annually by the Montana Department of Corrections (DOC). The unit is operated in accordance with the Administrative Rules of Montana, the Montana Youth Court Act and the American Correctional Association Juvenile Standards and Practices.

The facility offers educational, religious, and recreational programs to address the needs of juveniles placed in detention by the courts or law enforcement officers.

The unit has a level system that rewards good behavior by increasing privileges, such as the amount of dayroom time, the items authorized for purchase from commissary, extra recreation time, the addition of contact visiting privileges with their parents and different wakeup and shower times. Juveniles, who violate the facility rules of conduct, are afforded a hearing for due process and to involve the youth in their own accountability. A written grievance procedure allows juveniles to address their concerns and participate in affirmative efforts that teach responsibility and accountability.

Juveniles also have an hour of recreation, with a choice of indoor or outdoor recreation (weather permitting). Each juvenile has free telephone time, plus 30 minutes of visitation daily to encourage them to maintain contact with their immediate family.

Mental health and medical treatment are available to address the healthcare needs of juveniles.

The facility employs equal numbers of specially trained, gender-specific staff to ensure the care, welfare, safety, and security of every youth placed in custody. Missoula County has consistently proven the priority placed on the value of our youth and the potential that can be encouraged and mentored through the consistent efforts of dedicated, specially trained staff utilizing evidence-based, best practices.