County hires new officer for Troy

A new Lincoln County sheriff’s officer began field training this week to become the Troy resident deputy, a position that has been vacant since spring.

Brandon Holzer, who was born and raised in Libby, said he looks forward to moving his family – wife, Brooke, and son, Bransen – to Troy and getting to know the community better.

“I’ve been working in Troy for the Forest Service for the past two years so I know a big portion of Troy,” Holzer said. “You just have to start learning the in and out of that place, and start meeting the people. That’s definitely No. 1 for me – starting to build rapport with everybody over there.”

Holzer, who has been a reserve deputy for the past year-and-a-half, said he aspired to work for the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office long before the Troy position opened up. He had applied to be a deputy in the past.

“It was more of a dream for me,” he said. “I applied and there were people that were more qualified that got it … I could have moved and been a law-enforcement officer anywhere but this is where I want my son to be.”

Holzer graduated from Libby High School and spent six years in the U.S. Army with deployment to Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. He returned to Libby in late 2004 and worked a number of trades, such as logging, roofing and firefighting. He has been a firefighter for the U.S. Forest Service for the past four years and is a member of the National Guard.

“I think he’s going to be a great asset to the Troy area and the sheriff’s office,” Capt. Roby Bowe said. “I think it’s going to be good for us.”

Holzer was hired as a deputy toward the end of August and graduated this past weekend from the 12-week Law Enforcement Academy in Helena. He will receive field training, which will take place in the Troy area, by three different deputies over the next 12 weeks or more.