Craig to Increase Policing for the Summer

 

A buddy just messaged me about a rumor flying around Craig, MT that I called the Sheriff's Department asking for an increased presence in their little town...if these are the new recruits all I can say is yes, please. 

My initial reaction was to write it off as just another rumor from folks who have an ax to grind against me and to just let if fly. Those who know me know I couldn't give two shits about policing in Craig. I show up in the morning, set up a shuttle, go fishing and drop my boat off at the end of the day. I might stop for a beer or two on occasion and then I go back to my dog in Helena. But then I started thinking about it. Would that be such a bad thing? 

First of all, this has nothing to do with the new brewery in Craig or the head-shop. Neither one of those things is going to add to any criminal activity that goes on in Craig and I'm not saying their is a huge crime scene to begin with. Craig is a peaceful place. Every once in a while, someone shows up from the Great Falls, Walmart parking lot all hopped up on crack and starts a fight but that's pretty rare. (In fact, the last time I saw that was 10 years ago.) People smoke weed already and having a shop in town isn't going to change that. People also drink beer and having a brewery that serves the stronger craft beers is no different than alternating shots of Sinfire with Budweiser. And trust me, there's plenty of craft beer being served at Joe's and Izaak's. That's the least of my concerns. But what about the traffic on the river? If we should be concerned about anything, from what I saw last summer, that's what we should be concerned about.

This isn't a, "get off my lawn," or "old guy can't stand to see anyone having fun," argument. This is a public safety and a general consideration for EVERYONE'S rights to the river and having fun and being able to make a living, argument. Last year was ridiculous. Tubers slamming into fishing boats with absolutely no consideration for others, dumping coolers of beer into the river, getting shit-faced, screaming f-bombs to their drunk boyfriends across the river, and then jumping into a car and racing back to Helena or Great Falls...yes, that should concern all of us. Does that mean I called the Sheriff asking for more police on the river? Nope. But would that be such a bad thing? 

Keep 'em where they live...