Mounted patrol: upholsterer serves as a leader in Sheriff's Posse

A bronc-bustin’ Hawaiian leading the Flathead County Sheriff’s Posse?

Well, yes, of course.

Upholstery work is what Ron Eckert does for a living, and he’s done it for 30 years. But joining the famed Sheriff’s Posse a decade ago gave him the chance to do things he wanted to do when he was younger.

“I’ve been given quite an opportunity and I don’t take that lightly,” Eckert said. “We are one of the last posses that have armed members.”

Eckert is one of two fully sworn officers in the group. He is permitted to make arrests and must appear in court for the cases he files.

Eckert was asked to be in charge of the posse’s mounted unit a year ago.

He was an obvious choice, considering he owns three horses, two that are still active. Eckert has competed in professional rodeos in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Hawaii, where he grew up. A broken back, toes and fingers were part of his rodeo days, but he doesn’t take those risks now.

“I stayed in Hawaii through high school before I moved to Alaska,” Eckert said. “I then moved to Spokane where I met my wife and we’ve been together for 25 years.”

He was working for General Motors at the time and that eventually led him and his family, including their 16-year-old daughter, to the Flathead.

He decided to begin his own upholstery business and opened his own shop in 1997.

All that time, Eckert had horses and they ended up being the catalyst for his involvement with the Sheriff’s Posse.

“Our priority is to the community and its safety,” Eckert said. “We are here to assist and help where we can. It can be as simple as answering questions and offering suggestions.”

The posse has been very active in the county, doing public-relations work on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office, crowd control and patrol at the Northwest Montana Fair. Members of the posse also are involved with search-and-rescue work as well as body extractions that occur in fatalities in the backcountry where no one else can go.

The Sheriff’s Posse, which can trace its roots back the late 1880s, has been going strong since 1946.

“There just aren’t too many of them left anymore,” Eckert said. “Los Angeles County in California still has one, El Paso, Colorado, still has one, and I don’t know of too many that do anymore, so it’s pretty special that it still exists here.

“It has a neat history and I’m part of it on horseback, so it’s kinda cool,” Eckert said.

He said the group is always looking for new members, whether it’s for the mounted patrol or some other unit.

“The posse donates 1,400 hours of its time to the Flathead community every year and many of them give of their time because they want to see it do well,” Eckert said.

Those interested in the mounted unit must have their own horse.

“It does take some time and money to have your own horse, but luckily I have a business that allows me to do it,” Eckert said.

He also said there are more posse members going through training to become reserve members.

“We’re also looking forward to when Brian (Heino) takes over as sheriff because he wants to see more involvement from the posse,” Eckert said.

In addition to assisting the Whitefish Police Department for that community’s annual Halloween festivities, the posse is hosting its first Trick or Treat community event from 5 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 31 at its new headquarters at 155 Shady Lane in Evergreen.

Admission is free and there will be games, candy and prizes from area businesses and local first-responders.

“It’s great to have a home and we are working to get it ready for the community to enjoy and for us to use for a variety of things, including training,” Eckert said.

He also lauded the posse’s board of directors.

“If our board wasn’t making the decisions they have, we’d be in a lot different place,” Eckert said.

For more information on the Posse, visit www.sheriffsposse.net.

Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 406-758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.