Plea made for county pawn ordinance

A Kalispell couple whose home was burglarized twice during the past year have asked the Flathead County commissioners to consider a countywide pawn-shop measure that would work in tandem with the city of Kalispell’s ordinance, which requires pawn and secondhand shops to use online software to connect their inventory to the police department.

Al Schumacher and Margaret Stadler recently told the commissioners how their home was broken into twice — once last April and again just after Thanksgiving — and thieves made off with nearly $12,000 worth of goods.

“The second time thieves jumped the back fence, smashed the back door of our home,” Schumacher said. “They stole jewelry, a TV [and items] from all three levels. Then they took the keys and opened the garage and stole items from the garage and truck.

“This is nothing short of terrorism,” he said. “They want to destruct your lives, put fear in your hearts, make you angry.”

The Kalispell City Council passed a pawn-shop ordinance a couple of years ago that enables the city to subscribe to LeadsOnline, an internet technology service, and requires pawn and thrift stores to also use the software to connect their inventory to the Kalispell Police Department.

“This tool gives police access to pawn shops,” Schumacher said. “Unfortunately it’s not used countywide. These thieves can steal something in Kalispell and pawn something in Evergreen.

“What can we do as a community to help you address this?” he asked the commissioners.

Kalispell Police Chief Roger Nasset said it costs Kalispell $2,238 a year to subscribe to LeadsOnline, but said the investment “probably saves us a substantial amount of money in the long run.

“We’re able to close cases; it takes a lot of legwork out of it,” Nasset said, explaining that if law enforcement officers can identify burglars in one area it can deter them from hitting other areas.

Since the city ordinance was passed the city has recovered upwards of $50,000 worth of stolen goods, he said.

Nasset said he has talked to the county commissioners, county attorney’s office and the sheriff about the possibility of expanding the pawn-shop ordinance to the entire county.

Commissioner Phil Mitchell said he supports such a measure.

“I don’t know why we don’t have a pawn ordinance that matches the city of Kalispell. That is my wish,” Mitchell said.

Commissioner Pam Holmquist said a pawn ordinance for the county would have to be requested by the sheriff.

“We don’t tell the sheriff what to do,” she said. “He’ll move forward when he decides to.

“I’ve been broken into, too, and it’s not a fun thing,” Holmquist told Schumacher and Stadler. “We have a lot more crimes in the valley.”

Holmquist said information regarding a county pawn-shop ordinance has been reviewed by the county attorney’s office and was sent to the sheriff’s department.

She also noted that counties don’t have the same ability to establish ordinances as cities do. County Administrator Mike Pence agreed, saying counties more closely follow state laws and generally govern by motions and resolutions rather than ordinances.

“Cities have more ability to pass their own ordinances,” he added.

Pence also said the ball is in the sheriff’s court.

“We feel like it’s a program the sheriff needs to own,” Pence said.

Sheriff Chuck Curry was not available for comment.

Nasset said he has visited with Curry about a countywide pawn-shop measure.

“All my conversations with him have been supportive,” Nasset said.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.