HELENA — There are just under 130 inmates at the Lewis and Clark County Detention Center.
Taking care of them and keeping the facility running is a significant task, as the jail is facing serious staffing shortages.
(Lewis and Clark County detention officers discuss the importance of their work)
Behind the barbed fences and high-security walls, dedicated professionals work around the clock to maintain safety, order, and accountability not just for those in custody, but for the entire community.
“Being here is not only important for the inmates, but for the people in the community,” Corporal Casey Schiefen says. “We are here to help everybody.”
Their job is already difficult, but right now there’s an added challenge.
“We can’t be at our top and our one hundred percent if we are already operating with our check engine lights on,” said Corporal Allie Martian.
The detention center is operating with half of the available positions filled, and that puts added pressure on current staff.
Officer Angelo Domenghini says, “We work very hard together and have a good camaraderie to help each other out and work as a team.”
For these detention center officers, it’s more than just a job. It’s a calling.
“I like to help people, and this is a place where people hit rock bottom,” Schiefen said. “We are here to take care of them, make sure they get everything they need, make sure they get to their court appearances, and get on the road back to the community or their next destination.”
These officers work to blend discipline with compassion and security with second chances.
“It is not an easy job, but it is a job that can be very rewarding,” Domenghini said.
It is rewarding through personal growth and new opportunities.
Martian says, “Not only am I using this as a stepping stone in my career, but I think it has also taught me about the community and people are not just what they seem, they are not just their crime.”
And as for what Officer Domenghini has learned: “It has definitely helped me mature in being able to socialize, talk to people, understand people in any issues they may have.”
There are about 30 positions open at the detention center, and the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office is actively hiring to fill them.
You can find the application here.
