New Deputy Arrives In Valley County

A new addition has been welcomed at the Valley County Sheriff's Office in Glasgow. Deputy Christopher Richter began work for the county on Monday, Dec. 16. County commissioners approved his employment at their meeting that took place on Tuesday, Dec. 17.

As Richter settles in, he said he’s excited to work for this department and glad to be part of a smaller community. He said that he had really hoped to work for a smaller department in a deputy position and Glasgow fit for him.

Serving in law enforcement wouldn’t be a surprise to most who knew Richter growing up in Big Fork. He graduated high school there and said that he was always drawn to this line of work.

Richter left Big Fork for college at Montana State University Billings. There he obtained his bachelor's degree in criminal justice. During college, he interned for Yellow Stone County and said it gave him a positive experience working on the county level.

“I was always fascinated with law enforcement and serving people,” Richter said. “I grew up wanting to do this.”

After college, he worked for Great Falls City Police Department for just under a year. He said he enjoyed his duties, but it wasn’t a good fit for him. He found the open position in Valley County and decided to apply.

Richter enjoys the outdoors and likes to hunt and fish, he also likes the flatlands. He was looking for a change of scenery and Glasgow fit the bill.

Richter explained that his favorite part of the job is that he gets to do something different everyday. He also is in a position to help someone out when they need it. One of the worst parts of the job is seeing children in a bad situation, but Richter said that gives him an opportunity to help.

Sheriff Glen Meier said eight or nine applicants sought the position. When it came time for testing, the bad weather hit and only three showed up. Richter was the pick of the hiring committee. They checked his references and he had already attended the Montana academy, which would save time in training and money for the county. Meier said Richter will take part in field training before he’s out on his own.

Richter said that so far he’s enjoyed the atmosphere and is excited to work with the deputies. The department has eight employees, including the sheriff, who work for the county.