At least once a week, JC Clise sits in front of a small computer screen in a room at the front of the Kalispell Police Department.

A small bowl of candy at her desk is for officers who might stop by and joke around. A bag on the floor holds more candy to refill the bowl.

Clise, 59, transfers information from paper documents into the department’s digital system.

“It’s repetitive work, but it keeps the guys from spending too much time in front of the computers,” she said.

A few paces away, 76-year-old Melinda Jobe leans in closely to a file cabinet. She hunts down the correct folder and adds a few new files to the stack. People in the office call her “Mo.”

Jobe is shy, but quick to laugh as she pores over the sea of files. The job comes with its share of paper cuts, she acknowledges, but that’s no deterrent. She’s been doing this for years and doesn’t plan on stopping.

“As long as they let me stay here,” she said light-heartedly.

Occasionally, Clise and Jobe cross paths in the office. They share wide smiles and make wise cracks at each other. They didn’t know one another 10 years ago when they both saw an advertisement in the newspaper seeking volunteers at the police department. They both showed up for work and have been at it ever since.

“We have developed an incredible friendship,” Clise said. “It’s been wonderful.”

They’ve also developed a close relationship with the department, the staff and the officers over those 10 years. This spring, the department recognized them for putting in thousands of volunteer hours. But when speaking with them, Clise and Jobe only reciprocate appreciation for the police and what they do.

It’s kind of like a family.

THE TWO women have become part of the Kalispell Police Department staff. They come in on Thursdays, if they can, and catch up on some of the filing work for a few hours. They’ll be the first to say that it helps the paid staff focus on other tasks.

Even as department information relies more and more on electronic storage, there are still large amounts of physical paperwork to deal with — citations, case reports and other things. It needs to be digitized in many cases and then filed for storage.

“It’s just extremely time-consuming,” said Kalispell Police Sgt. Myron Wilson, who helps coordinate volunteers. “And so it frees up our regular staff to be able to concentrate on more pressing matters.”

That’s not to say what Clise and Jobe do is not important. If they weren’t doing it, then the office staff or officers would be spending that time logging computer information. Wilson said that with a little training, they became great assets.

Jobe moved to Montana with her husband 11 years ago. She used to live in California, where she did volunteer work for 24 years. She said she gets more out of her current work with Kalispell police than she did before.

“This volunteer work is so completely different because they love us,” Jobe said.

There have been some big moments while working at the department. A couple of years ago, Jobe dropped to the floor during a shift. She had suffered a heart attack in the middle of the office. They cautiously joke about it now, but Jobe said she’s thankful for the responders who rushed over from the Fire Department and potentially saved her life.

Clise said she nearly went into police work when she was younger. For years she ran a business in Libby with her husband. Now she says she’s living that old goal of joining law enforcement. It’s not in an official capacity, but she’s no less part of the team.

Last fall Clise was involved in a serious car accident. She said people at the department surrounded her with support. The chaplain stopped by her house for a friendly visit. That’s why she believes her volunteer work isn’t without its benefits.

“It was really nice to have that family,” Clise said.

JUST AS the department has embraced Clise and Jobe, they’ve embraced the department. Clise said they’ve grown really close to officers and staff members. Some of them have left over the years, and they’ve been sad to see them go.

But it’s mostly fun, Clise said. They celebrate birthdays and have department-wide parties. In the office they’ll get the occasional visit from a staff member to joke around a bit in between paperwork.

Jobe joked multiple times that Clise does the important work. Clise said they work so that officers can do the work that matters.

It’s what family members would do for each other.

“We don’t do anything earth-shaking,” she said. “We just pick up the paper slack that takes the others away from more important things.”

Reach reporter Matt Hudson at 758-4459 or by email at mhudson@dailyinterlake.com.