Highway Patrol eyes expansion

In August of 2021, the Montana Highway Patrol officially made its move into the North Campus of Boulder’s former Montana Development Center. What originally attracted the MHP to the facility was its ample storage, vast open space and diverse array of highly configurable and versatile buildings. Now settled into the campus, Public Information Officer Jay Nelson said those examples only scratch the surface as to the possibilities this campus allows. He’s excited by the prospect of expanding the facility’s reach – and the facility itself – while helping to advance economic development to the area.

“The infrastructure is here to make this [more of] a regional training center,” Nelson said. “As long as we can be provided the funding to have [more] full-time training staff and full-time civilian staff [with an emphasis on hiring local] we could offer multiple classes at one time for law enforcement all over the area.”

Where this funding will come from is not clear at this time, however, Nelson said the MHP is exploring avenues with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Environmental Quality and is also seeking grants.