Area counties, tribe get border-security help

Daily Inter Lake

Flathead, Lincoln and Glacier counties, along with the Blackfeet tribe will get a portion of more than $1 million in funding from the Department of Homeland Security to help Montana law enforcement agencies boost security along Montana’s 540-mile border with Canada.

Flathead County will get $120,000, the biggest allocation from Operation Stonegarden, a program that provides funding to enhance cooperation between local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies involved in border security.

Lincoln County will receive $105,000; Glacier County will get $70,000 and the Blackfeet Tribe will get $100,000.

As a senior member of both the Senate Homeland Security and the Senate Appropriations Committees, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., took the lead in securing the funding. He also worked to secure $3.7 million for the State Homeland Security Program that helps states increase training, purchase equipment and boost preparedness to help defend against terrorist attacks and national security threats.

The Montana Department of Emergency Services plans to put its share of funding toward acquiring new emergency power sources and generators, outfitting local police departments with better vehicles and safety equipment, and upgrading communications equipment and interoperability across the state, according to a press release from Tester.

“Terrorists and criminals will find and exploit any weakness we have,” Tester said in a press release. “That’s why we can’t just focus our efforts on securing the southern border; we must also ensure the safety and security of our northern border as well. Our national security depends on it.”

As ranking member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Tester oversees the Department of Homeland Security budget and successfully fought to increase funding across the board.