Whitefish Police committed to equal enforcement of the law

The City of Whitefish has heard concerns from community members about the federal changes to immigration policies and increased enforcement in our area.

The City of Whitefish and the Whitefish Police Department seek to clarify the role that your local peace officers play regarding the enforcement of immigration policies. The Whitefish Police Department is committed to equal enforcement of the law and equal service to the public, while recognizing the dignity of all people, regardless of their national origin or immigration status. Policies are in place that strictly prohibit biased-based policing and improper profiling. 

The City of Whitefish is proud of our programs that provide implicit bias training to all City employees, which aims to raise awareness of unconscious stereotypes and how they can influence decision-making. We remain committed to promoting tolerance, nondiscrimination, and diversity within our community. 

The Whitefish Police Department does not actively seek out immigration violations. In fact, policies are in place that prohibit the detainment of any individual, for any length of time, for a civil violation of federal immigrations laws or a related civil warrant. 

However, if an officer has a reasonable suspicion that an individual already lawfully contacted or detained (such as during a normal traffic stop) has committed a criminal violation of federal immigration law, they may detain the person for a reasonable period of time. At that point, federal immigration officials will verify whether an immigration violation is a federal civil violation or a criminal violation. 

The Whitefish Police Department has a long-standing working relationship with Whitefish Border Patrol and regularly assists one another with support services, such as traffic control, peacekeeping efforts, officer safety and information sharing. 

All individuals, regardless of their immigration status, should feel secure that contacting or being addressed by our officers will not automatically lead to an immigration inquiry and/or deportation.

Bridger Kelch is police chief at the Whitefish Police Department.