County deputy appointed to task force

Deputy Josh Plafcan of Clancy was sworn in Mar. 19 to serve on the U.S. Marshals Service’s Montana Violent Crimes Regional Task Force, a multi-agency entity that works to identify and apprehend violent offenders.

The task force is “a big force-multiplier” for small communities like Jefferson County, said Undersheriff James Everett. It can provide trained staffing from across the state, as well as specialized equipment and other resources, that smaller law enforcement departments often lack — bringing expertise, for example, in fugitive investigations or electronic surveillance.

The task force assisted Jefferson’s Sheriff’s Office last month in the capture in Wickes of a man wanted for felony drug charges, following a long-term intelligence gathering effort.