The Patrol Division is responsible for patrolling and responding to emergent and non-emergent incidents within the entire 3,159 square miles of our County. Patrol Deputies are on duty and available 24/7/365. Various rotational shifts have been implemented within the division in an effort to provide staffing and coverage for the entire county. The patrol division has contracted with the Town of Byron, Town of Burlington and the Town of Frannie to provide law enforcement services to these communities. Furthermore the Patrol division provides law enforcement services and mutual aide assistance to all other incorporated and non-incorporated areas of Big Horn County.
The Big Horn County Sheriffs Office provides a total of 4 sworn and certified School Resource Officers to Big Horn County School District #1 in Cowley and Burlington and Big Horn County School District #2 in Lovell. School Resource Officers provide essential functions including school security and threat assesment/awareness. School Resource Officers bridge a significant communication gap that exists between students and law enforcement furthering a more cohesive, trustworthy and compassionate presence so that students may interact with law enforcement in a postive manner. School Resource Officers assist with extra curricular activities including the instruction of hunters education and various other programming for the students, staff and citizens all while school is in session.
The Patrol Division is also responsible for all Sex Offender Registrants within Big Horn County. If you need to register please contact Deputy Jolley at 307-568-2324.
Patrol Deputies
Sgt. Jeff Angell 9-3 | Sgt. Craig Shidler 9-4
Court Room Security Deputy Jason Beal 9-
K9 Program
The Big Horn County Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit is a specialized support function assigned to the patrol division, but available to other units within the department and our mutual aide partners. Our K-9 unit consists of two handlers and two dogs: Handler Seth Hoblit and his K-9 partner Trapper, and Handler Deb Cook and her K-9 partner Tilley. Handlers and their dogs train weekly, if not daily to prepare for the signficant annual testing and certification that the handlers and K9's must pass.
The primary focus of our K-9 unit is the detection of illegal drugs and narcotics. The K-9 unit strives to enhance public safety by using highly trained narcotic and dangerous drug detection dogs to seek out the odor of controlled substances. These substances are most often hidden and cleverly concealed. The ability of our K-9 partners to locate these drugs increases the safety of both law enforcement personnel and citizens alike by removing dangerous and illegal substances from our community.
The K-9 unit is committed to call out 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Aside from conducting authorized drug searches or searches associated with traffic stops, our K-9 units are regularly deployed at schools and homes as requested and consented to. Our K-9 units average over 100 calls for service a year and play a crucial role of combatting illegally possessed controlled/dangerous substances.
