The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office will be deploying extra officers across the valley on July 4.
Many of those officers will be stationed in Hungry Horse, a town known for its at-times wild Independence Day celebrations. The sheriff’s office will also bring a mobile jail to Hungry Horse in case anyone is arrested.
“Historically Hungry Horse Boulevard and the surrounding Hungry Horse area has been a popular gathering place for citizens to celebrate and deploy fireworks. The Sheriff’s Office wishes to embrace this in the spirit of tradition and community,” Sheriff Brian Heino wrote in a press release. “However, because of recent history of criminal activity, dangerous situations and several severe injuries to both citizens and deputies, extra precautions are going to be deployed.”
In 2018, a man was launching “mortar” fireworks into a crowd during the community’s July 4 celebration. The man was later charged with criminal endangerment.
The Sheriff’s Office states it will have a “no tolerance policy” and that all laws will be enforced —except for one. It is normally illegal to launch fireworks from a public road; however, the sheriff’s office announced it would temporarily allow it on Hungry Horse Boulevard on July 4.