Local – State Law Enforcement Officials Respond to Dallas Police Killings

Five Dallas Police Officers were shot and killed, and seven others were injured Thursday night during a Black Lives Matter protest.

The sniper, later killed by a police robot with an explosive device, was identified as 25 year-old Micah David Johnson.

In Montana, state and local law enforcement personnel were shocked and saddened by the loss of their brother officers in Texas. Montana Attorney General Tim Fox issued the following press release.

"The horrific tragedy in Dallas is a reminder to us all that, every single day, the men and women of law enforcement put themselves in harm’s way to protect us and keep our communities safe. They and their families make tremendous sacrifices on our behalf, and we owe them a debt we can never fully repay. Let us honor the memory of Dallas’s fallen officers by thanking and supporting all city, county, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement officers who serve Montana with courage and dedication.”

Missoula Police Chief Mike Brady echoed the attorney general's statement.

"It's such a shock, and it's hard to understand how that sort of thing could happen," Brandy said. "It's hard to imagine how anything like that could happen in Missoula, in that the Missoula community is very supporting of its law enforcement. We realize that people react to these things differently, so here in the department, we'll support our people through whatever they might be needing."

Brady said he sent an email to the over 100 officers in his department on Friday morning.

"The email reassures them that there is support for what they're doing, and recognize that awareness and vigilance have a place when we're doing our job," he said. "This department is known for being respectful and caring for our community, and that's what makes us the agency that we are.. We care for the community and the members of our department, in that we'll provide any counseling service that our officers might need, either internally or from outside the department."

Sheriff T.J. McDermott said the incident in Dallas serves as a reminder of the inherent danger that law enforcement personnel face every day.

"It's no different here in Missoula," McDermott said. "Our deputies have a difficult and sometimes dangerous job. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Dallas PD, and especially with the families of the officers who lost their lives and for those who are in the hospital recovering from their injuries."

McDermott said all law enforcement officers are thinking out the Dallas incident.

"It's a difficult situation to try to prepare for, but it definitely creates a heightened sense of just how dangerous this job can be. We're fortunate in our community in that we enjoy a great deal of support, and we don't have the tensions that exist in larger cities and jurisdictions have, but what happened in Dallas is definitely on the minds of our law enforcement officers."