Police departments in Montana operate independently at the municipal level, with each city or town maintaining its own department under local government authority. State-level law enforcement is handled separately by the Montana State Police or Highway Patrol, which provides support to local agencies and covers unincorporated areas.
Police Department locations are available in 59 cities across Montana. They are spread across 36 counties.
Cities with the highest concentration of police department locations include Billings, Missoula, Helena, reflecting the larger municipal departments in major urban centers with multiple precincts or substations.
Residents of Montana should save their local police department's non-emergency number for situations that require a police response but are not life-threatening emergencies, such as minor accidents, noise complaints, and suspicious activity reports.
Police Department by Counties
Police Department by Cities
Residents of Montana should identify their local police department's non-emergency line, online report filing portal, and records request process before they need them. Many departments in Montana offer fingerprinting services by appointment, and some provide online crime mapping tools to help residents stay informed about activity in their neighborhoods.
Browse Police Department by county across Montana to find the nearest location.