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Missoula Parking Commission approves $30,000 to continue downtown policing partnership
Summary
The commission voted to contribute $15,000 per officer for two dedicated downtown police officers — $30,000 total — continuing a multi-party cost-sharing arrangement with the Downtown Business Improvement District and Mountain Line to fund downtown policing.
Linda McCarthy, representing the Downtown Missoula Partnership and the Business Improvement District (BID), asked the commission on April 8 to renew support for the BID’s dedicated downtown policing program.
"We have had a dedicated downtown policing since 2010, and the Missoula Parking Commission has been a supporter and a partner in that program since 2012," McCarthy said, requesting support "at a level of $15,000 per officer per year for the next fiscal year." She described two full-time officers who patrol downtown daily; since July 1, 2024, the BID-recorded officers logged "over 5,500 activities within the district," including "241" extra patrols in parking structures.
McCarthy explained the program faces higher costs this year because a community-policing grant that previously subsidized some costs has ended and the police collective bargaining agreement is driving salary increases.
During the commission’s action item later in the meeting, a motion to fund the BID policing program at $15,000 per officer (two officers, $30,000 total) was made and seconded; a roll-call vote approved the funding (unanimous among members present). The commission’s director, Jody Pilgrim, said supporting the program aligns with the commission’s mission because it improves safety and access to downtown parking assets.
Commissioners noted this is a longstanding partnership shared across several entities (BID, Mountain Line, possibly city contributions) and discussed the program’s fiscal sustainability. McCarthy said the BID’s total cost rose from about $81,000 last year to $157,000 this year and that the BID will pursue city leadership and other funding sources.
The approved contribution will be part of the commission’s FY planning and will be recommended in the staff action item for board approval.
