Police make temporary hire to fill need during medical leave

Troy Police Department has hired a temporary replacement for one of its officers out on medical leave to relieve the pressure on the normally three-man department. 

The temporary officer, Logan Martin, is a five-year police veteran of departments in Lake and Sanders counties. He will be working three days a week in Troy.

Chief of Police Robert McLeod was glad to get the help, as he and another officer were working double shifts just to keep the department staffed.

A statute exists for emergency hiring if the department is under duress. Former Troy mayor Don Banning initially approved the hiring, and after his recall interim mayor Phil Fisher continued with the process … after a nudge from McLeod.

“The normal hiring process involves us having a certain time of posting the listing, interviewing and elimination process,” McLeod said. “By the time we had done that, we wouldn’t have needed (Martin) anymore.”

But McLeod has no doubts as to Martin’s experience.

“(Martin) has some real knowledge when it comes to law enforcement, he’s not a rookie by any means,” he said. “He was a perfect match.”

Martin, a native of Troy, resides in Polson and works part-time as an officer in Thompson Falls. This keeps him on a road a lot, but McLeod is just happy to have an officer during his busiest time of the year.

“Summertime is busy for us. There are a lot of people travelling through, outdoors drinking, all that,” McLeod said. “In the winter everyone is just kind of cooped up in their homes.”

McLeod expects the officer on medical leave to be back at the end of June, just in time for Troy’s large Fourth of July celebration.