Polson Police officer arrested for sexual abuse of children
KRISTI NIEMEYER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 1 month AGO
Kristi Niemeyer is editor of the Lake County Leader. She learned her newspaper licks at the Mission Valley News and honed them at the helm of the Ronan Pioneer and, eventually, as co-editor of the Leader until 1993. She later launched and published Lively Times, a statewide arts and entertainment monthly (she still publishes the digital version), and produced and edited State of the Arts for the Montana Arts Council and Heart to Heart for St. Luke Community Healthcare. Reach her at editor@leaderadvertiser.com or 406-883-4343. | September 21, 2023 12:00 AM
Polson Police Officer Matthew Timm, 41, was arrested late last Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 13, by the Lake County Sheriff’s Department on a charge of sexual abuse of children.
As of presstime, it appears he’s being held in the Flathead County Jail in Kalispell. Bail was set at $500,000 pending his initial appearance in District Court.
His arrest stems from an investigation between the Polson Police Department, Lake County Sheriff and the Montana Department of Criminal Investigation. According to Polson City Manager Ed Meece, Timm was immediately place on administration leave and an internal employment investigation has been launched, in addition to the ongoing criminal investigation.
He said the police department was aware of the investigation prior to the arrest and cooperated fully with the other agencies involved.
According to Polson Police Chief George Simpson, Timm has been employed by the department for approximately two years and had not been previously employed in law enforcement.
“The Polson Police Department will continue to work with our partners in the criminal justice system to aid in this investigation,” he said in a press release.
“Our fundamental duty as officers is to serve mankind, safeguard lives and property, to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder,” wrote Simpson. “This is the mission, and we all took the oath dedicating ourselves to justice and honor. Officers who are found not honoring the oath have no place in this department.”
This is not the department’s first black eye this year. Last April, Police Chief Wade Nash was arrested for driving under intoxication and took an early retirement from the force.
“It’s been a tough year for the Polson Police Department,” acknowledged Meece last Thursday. “Like always we will be diligent in protecting the citizens of Polson and the integrity of the Polson Police Department. That’s the purpose of both investigations – and what happened yesterday.”
County Attorney James Lapotka said Monday he anticipates that charges will be filed this week or early next week in District Court and that Timm will make an initial court appearance within the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, Timm appears on the jail rosters for both Lake County and Flathead County and the Leader was not able to confirm where he’s incarcerated. Lapotka did say that the sheriff’s department “sometimes houses inmates in other jails for various reasons.”
The Justice Court complaint charges Timm with violating section b of Montana Code Annotated 45-5-625, which involves knowingly photographing, filming, videotaping, or recording a child engaging in sexual conduct, actual or simulated. If the victim is under 16, the perpetrator could face life imprisonment or face a prison term of not less than four years or more than 100 years and may be fined up to $10,000.