Polson Chief of Police George Simpson is a big believer in a positive police presence in the community, and more than 20 people responded by attending his quarterly safety meeting on Jan. 7 in the city commission chambers.

He began by saying he gets many questions about drug use and its prevalence.

“You see it in the news a lot because we recognize there’s a drug problem; you recognize there’s a drug problem,” he said. “But I want you to know what we’re doing about it.”

Simpson presented statistics for police calls from 2025 and how they differed from 2024. The City of Polson covers slightly over four square miles, with a residential population just shy of 6,000, he said. He noted that summer tourist season increases that number to approximately 14,000, counting seasonal residents and through traffic.

He also shared excerpts from a recently released overview of its activity statistics for 2023 through 2025. The report revealed several significant trends in calls for service, traffic enforcement and criminal investigations.

The report reflects both changing patterns within the community and adjustments in departmental operations. Among the findings:

• Overall Activity Trends: Service calls have steadily decreased from 8,691 in 2023 to 7,589 in 2024, and an additional 5% reduction in 2025 to 7,217. This shift may reflect changes in public reporting habits, improved access to non-police services, and evolving dispatch triage.

• Driving Under the Influence Arrests: DUIs increased in 2024 but declined by 26% in 2025, suggesting a shift in traffic enforcement emphasis and changing public behavior. Simpson partially attributes this to the speed radar trailer and messaging sign.

• Partner and Family Member Assault: Arrests rose in 2024 but fell 17% in 2025, potentially influenced by improved prevention efforts and changes in prosecution strategy.

• Drug Cases: Arrests remained stable between 2023–2024 but dropped sharply by 66% in 2025, a decrease that’s strongly correlated with staffing shortages and the ability to have a dedicated drug detective. According to Simpson, Missoula pays much more than Polson so it’s hard to keep officers here. If he had another officer, Simpson said he’d like that employee to work with tribal detectives on a drug task force. Although two officers started Dec. 22, the force is still short one person.

• Traffic Enforcement: Traffic stops decreased from 1,812 in 2023 to 1,606 in 2024, then fell 30% in 2025. Citations and warnings followed the same trend. This suggests reduced proactive patrol activity, potentially due to staffing limitations, the deployment of radar and messaging trailers, and strategic shifts in enforcement focus.

• Vehicle Crashes: Collisions increased slightly in 2024 and decreased in 2025 by 5%. These changes align with typical fluctuations influenced by weather, road conditions and traffic.

• Homicides: Murders increased from one case in 2023 to two in 2024 and remained at two for 2025. All were separate incidents. In four of the five cases, the suspect and victim knew each other; the only case without a prior relationship was a vehicular homicide. Four of the five homicides involved interpersonal violence, and in four of the five, the suspect had a history of substance abuse, which Simpson said reflects the influence of relationship dynamics and substance use on serious violent crime.

• Suicides: After no suicides in 2023, cases rose to four in 2024 and dropped to three in 2025. The increase from zero to four may reflect a statistical fluctuation rather than a sustained long-term trend, Simpson said. Contributing factors could include a residual post-pandemic impact on mental health and economic stressors in recent years, both of which are associated with increased levels of anxiety, depression and substance use; these are compounded by the fact that local, state, and federal resources are scarce.

It’s no secret that jail overcrowding is an issue in Lake County, and that limits the ability to hold offenders or get them into long-term treatment. Most of Polson’s crimes are committed by local repeat offenders, Simpson added.

Like most rural communities in Montana, Polson faces persistent challenges from alcohol-related incidents, methamphetamine cases and statewide fentanyl use. Simpson said his 15-man department serves a growing community, but “limited resources constrain proactive drug enforcement and contribute to associated calls for service.”

Several other broader community factors such as socioeconomic issues, seasonal job and population fluctuations, and tourism all shape Polson’s crime statistics and law enforcement, according to Simpson.

After his presentation, the chief took questions. Audience members inquired about a presentation by CSKT officers, an issue with the hospital not stocking rape kits, and whether the city numbers correlate with county numbers.

The next public safety meeting is Thursday, April 2, at Polson City Hall.