by Travis Mateer
Yesterday I was evicted from sitting on the sidewalk by a homeless woman.
There I was, in the middle of discussing the power of Montana Sheriffs to kill people with zero accountability with two documentary film makers, when the woman interrupted to inform me that I was in her spot.
“You can’t be there,” she informed me, “because that spot’s mine.”
Having already met my extroverted social needs by filling the attentive ears of visiting film makers with local intrigue, I happily validated the woman’s delusion about her sidewalk ownership. While I packed up my stuff, including a cardboard sign that said $ TO MAKE DOCUMENTARY, I chatted with her while her “old man” hovered by their grocery cart.
The woman told me that her and the old man couldn’t stay at the Johnson Street Shelter anymore after being kicked out for theft. The theft was retaliatory, she explained, and it was all so very unfair that THEY got put out by staff for a limited time, but not really.
“Not really?” I asked, confused.
“When our time is up,” she explained, “cops say my old man’s still trespassed, so we can’t go back.”
Before this insightful interaction with the homeless woman and chat with filmmakers, a local business woman from the other side of the river (Hip Strip) took a picture of me, my antique fireman’s helmet, and my sign. After laughing and asking permission, of course.
This local business woman is a success case in a growing sea of FOR LEASE signs. Did Donald Trump and DOGE create this trend of FOR LEASE signs? No, but they will DEFINITELY solidify the trend of political dominance if Uncle Sam cuts $5,000 dollar checks to poor bastards like me.
If those checks arrive, and you’d like to make me a slightly LESS poor bastard, I’m hoping to have a few more options soon than just my TIF (Travis’ Impact Fund).
Why support a citizen journalist like me?
No one else writing publicly in this state can claim the combination of factors I’m bringing, factors that include 10 years in the non-profit sector with 7 at the local homeless shelter, then 5 years creating content, including a long-form documentary that started me down the long road of becoming, for lack of a better term, targeted.
Want to talk about gangs? Ok, let’s talk about gangs (part I and part II). Or maybe we can talk about Chinese Nationals giving happy endings in nasty little sheds on your way south, to Lolo. Or maybe we should talk about those nice Venezuelan visitors recently arrested by Homeland Security in Bozeman (emphasis mine):
Federal officials say they arrested six Venezuelan gang members in Gallatin County this week.
According to a post on X from the Denver Homeland Security Investigation Office, officers with Homeland Security and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement arrested Tren de Aragua members in Bozeman and Belgrade on Wednesday.
Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer said the Missouri River Drug Task Force and ICE worked closely together over the years to identify gang members, and ICE is currently in the process of deporting the individuals.
Springer said while the county does not currently have a major problem with gangs, it is crucial to recognize and remove gang members before they’re able to gain a foothold in the community.
“I think it’s important to recognize that this is not a political issue,” said Springer. “This is a public safety issue, and our goal is to make sure that we continue the public safety message and make sure that we are getting criminal elements out of this community and making sure that our kids, our families and our friends are safe.”
First, why should the citizens of Bozeman believe Dan Springer? Appointed in February of 2021, here’s a breakdown of the many hats someone like Springer wears on his way to the Sheriff’s Office, including the duties of CORONER (emphasis mine):
Sheriff Springer has been with the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office since 1996. During that time he has served as a patrol deputy, K9 officer, school resource officer, sergeant of the patrol and detective divisions, member and commander of the Special Response Team, commander of the Detention Center and the Missouri River Drug Task Force, chief deputy coroner, undersheriff, and, most recently, interim sheriff.
“I thank the commission for trusting me this with responsibility,” Sheriff Springer said. “This office means a lot to me. It makes me proud to even be considered for this position. I make a promise to this community that we will continue to provide the exceptional service they expect of us.”
Sheriff Springer told commissioners during a public interview last week that the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office is highly regarded around the state, but maintains a responsibility to the citizens to continue improving. He looks forward to continuing to improve many of the current initiatives and projects of the sheriff’s office – such as the Community Crisis Co-Responder program, school resource deputy program, Crisis Intervention Team Montana program, the Public Safety Academy, and others.
With Sheriffs like Jesse Slaughter in Cascade County, and Ryan Funke in Mineral, I don’t doubt Springer is well-regarded for dealing with the REALLY deep pockets that play in Montana. That said, I still think something very curious is afoot with Montana Sheriffs, their political ambitions, and our Attorney Generals excitement over building a stupid fucking gun range.
Attorney General Austin Knudsen recently asked the Montana Legislature to provide funding for an essential training facility.
NBC Montana traveled to Helena to meet with Knudsen to learn more about the need.
“The biggest responsibility we give law enforcement officers not just in Montana, but everywhere, is they have the authority to carry a gun, and if necessary deploy deadly force, so it is incumbent on us to give them the best training we can,” Knudsen said.
It’s nice of the “reporter” to wait until something like paragraph 6 to drop the price tag of this legislative ask, which is $10 million dollars. Is this really an ESSENTIAL expenditure for regular Montanans and the law men tasked with keeping them safe from threats, like gangs, or is it essential for a politician who wants to be Governor, and needs to head off simmering opposition with a gun range bribe?
I think long-time readers of this blog know what I’m inclined to think, so stay tuned for more documentation of data-points that point to my instincts being correct.
Thanks for reading!
