Flathead County Sheriff deputies are serving as security personnel at Glacier Park International Airport under a recently approved interlocal agreement by county commissioners. 

Months in the making, the agreement was spurred by discussions between airport officials and the Sheriff’s Office over airport security concerns. Sheriff Brian Heino said one single incident didn’t spark the contract, but the buildup of slow response times.

The Flathead Valley’s population surge has created a strain on local resources, slowing response times to airport emergencies as deputies get tied up with other 911 calls.  

Airport Director Robert Ratkowski said even a five-minute wait time is an issue.  

“A phone call away doesn’t work for us,” he told the Inter Lake. 

With crowds of tourists flying in during the summer, Heino and Ratkowski agreed it’s best to have deputies permanently assigned on-site.  

A record-breaking 172,820 passengers visited the terminal in July, which is a 10% increase from July 2024 and a 26% increase from July 2023, according to data from the state Department of Transportation. During peak summer months (June through September), an average of about 147,700 passengers passed through the airport in 2025.   

The contract, which was unanimously approved by commissioners on Dec. 18, also evolved from concerns that personnel from a private contractor, previously used as airport security, didn’t meet federal guidelines.  

“The important part for us would be the monitoring of [human] traffic in and out of the airport,” said Patrol Commander Luke Foster at the commissioners’ meeting. “Federal law requires that a sworn law enforcement officer be present during those times. And we believe we are the best option.” 

The interlocal agreement requires at least two deputies to be permanently assigned to airport security, effective immediately, and six deputies must be assigned to the airport by July 1, 2027.  

Heino said the contract creates six additional positions for his total staff. However, he isn’t worried about meeting the contract’s staff requirements, given a recent influx of applications.   

“We’re excited about this,” Heino said. “A lot of opportunities to work with the airport.”  

Deputies permanently assigned to the airport will need additional airport-specific training, Foster told commissioners. All current deputies have already received this training, he said, to help secure gates as needed.   

“Some of that extra training is also going to bleed into our current staff,” Foster said. “I would consider this a division in our office, similar to a detective division or a traffic division.” 

An officer in charge, appointed by the Sheriff’s Office, will oversee the deputies working at the airport and schedule shifts. At least one deputy will work at the airport 16 hours a day, until full staffing is reached, and then deputies will be at the airport 24 hours a day. 

Deputies will secure passenger boarding areas, airline ramps, terminals and restricted areas. They will also respond to medical emergencies at the airport until medics arrive.   

Expenses incurred by the county directly related to airport — such as staff wages, purchased equipment and training costs — will be reimbursed by the airport monthly, according to the agreement. Any cost unrelated to the airport is ineligible for reimbursement.  

Reporter Hannah Shields can be reached at 758-4439 or [email protected].