Home
Quick Links
Goals and Objectives
Central Services Division
- To establish and maintain department-wide fiscal responsibility on behalf of the Attorney General.
- To provide accounting functions to all divisions, bureaus and programs in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and in compliance with state and federal laws and regulations.
- To promptly process claims for vendor payments and county attorney payroll, following state rules and regulations.
- To oversee and coordinate the department-wide budget preparation and submission process, provide committee testimony and monitor the progress of legislative budget bills.
- To prepare legislative fiscal notes.
- To provide assistance to divisions in monitoring budgets for compliance with legislative intent and state and federal mandates.
- To process time sheet information culminating in the issuance of employee paychecks.
- To provide comprehensive value-based personnel management services to department employees, supervisors and administrators in support of the agency's mission.
- To provide the various services involved in recruitment and selection, discipline handling, delegated classification authority, personnel policy development, and the department's affirmative action plan in a caring and supportive manner, encompassing current best business practices and in compliance with federal and state laws, rules and regulations.
Consumer Protection and Victim Services, Office of
Consumer Protection
- To enforce consumer protection laws and regulations relating to unfair and deceptive business practices.
- To assist Montana consumers in making sound decisions in business transactions and in response to mail, phone and e-mail solicitations by providing relevant information through brochures, press releases, public service announcements and the Department of Justice website.
- To make regular presentations about consumer and telemarketing fraud to Montana consumer groups, senior citizen organizations, law enforcement agencies and businesses.
- To notify Montana consumers as quickly as possible, via the website and press releases, about fraudulent business practices and scams operating in the state.
Victim Services
- To verify and process claims from innocent victims of crime as quickly as possible.
- To communicate with victims, service providers, justice system personnel, offenders and others in a timely, professional manner.
- To promote the understanding of crime victim compensation through training for public service providers, law enforcement, victim advocates and the general public.
| 7/06 - 12/06 | 1/07 - 6/07 | 7/07 - 12/07 | 1/08 - 6/08 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assist and educate consumers | ||||
| New complaints received | 386 | 452 | 385 | 400 |
| Complaints closed | 340 | 449 | 432 | 485 |
| Calls to toll-free consumer number | 1,610 | 1,482 | 1,869 | 2,235 |
| Materials distributed | 200 | 1,410 | 1,390 | 1,410 |
| Compensate innocent victims of crime | ||||
| New claims received | 359 | 306 | 325 | 371 |
| Claims settled | 266 | 329 | 426 | 297 |
| Compensation paid | $426,853 | $300,393 | $684,112 | $240,635 |
| Funds recovered | $101,771 | $89,761 | $112,992 | $133,687 |
| Compensation deferred until following fiscal year due to funding shortfall (per fiscal year) | Not applicable | ($309,360) | Not applicable | ($579,702) |
Criminal Investigation, Division of
Mission: To provide public safety services and expertise, in partnership with other local, state, and federal public safety agencies throughout Montana, ensuring the health, welfare and safety of our citizens.
Criminal Investigation
- To provide professional criminal and fire investigative assistance to Montana's public safety agencies
through experience and expertise in:
- violent crimes
- narcotics crimes
- fire, including arson
- economic crimes, including public assistance fraud
- government fraud and abuse
- organized crime
- computer crime
- terrorism
- To conduct fire and life safety inspections of public-occupied buildings to identify fire code
violations and work with building owners to ensure compliance. Facilities inspected include:
- schools
- day care centers
- state facilities
- public assembly/special event facilities
- jails and prisons
- group homes
- businesses
- To collect, store, integrate and disseminate accurate, timely and complete Department of Justice information as authorized by law for all divisions within the department.
- To maintain the Criminal Justice Information Network (CJIN) that connects state and local agencies to federal criminal and investigative systems, including: the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), Western Identification Network (WIN), Nlets (the primary interstate law-enforcement network in the U.S.) and the FBI's Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS).
- To provide an efficient and effective automated system of criminal identification (end-to-end fingerprints).
- To provide federal, state and local justice community customers access to the central Criminal History Record System (CHRS) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
- To administer the Montana Concealed Weapon Permits system.
- To provide professional, advanced training opportunities to statewide law enforcement and fire
service agencies by:
- conducting and/or facilitating training sessions in specialized areas of public safety
- securing funding assistance to bring nationally recognized professional trainers to Montana in cases where training resources are not available within the state
- To facilitate the exchange of criminal justice information and fire incident data among public
safety agencies through formal and informal communications, access to investigative databases, and
the distribution of:
- criminal intelligence bulletins
- criminal activity situation reports
- sex or violent offender registry information
- narcotics threat assessments
- Montana Fire Incident Reporting System data
| 7/06 - 12/06 | 1/07 - 6/07 | 7/07 - 12/07 | 1/08 - 6/08 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Respond to requests for assistance in criminal investigations | ||||
| Investigations and cases | 244 | 259 | 308 | 222 |
| Provide fire inspections and life-safety inspections | ||||
| Inspections | 487 | 597 | 668 | 883 |
| Provide training to local agencies | ||||
| Training sessions | 72 | 71 | 66 | 61 |
| Perform criminal history record checks | ||||
| Checks for the public | 37,188 | 41,067 | 43,340 | 44,223 |
| Checks for criminal justice agencies | 157,914 | 173,172 | 187,712 | 137,775 |
| Process fingerprint cards | ||||
| Criminal arrest cards | 10,387 | 12,469 | 11,494 | 11,578 |
| Civil cards | 9,276 | 9,120 | 10,757 | 10,146 |
| Assist and train law enforcement | ||||
| Participants in instructor-led courses | 297 | 275 | 246 | 352 |
| Participants in web-based courses | 2,433 | 3,587 | 5,134 | 3,116 |
Law Enforcement Academy
- To provide Montana law enforcement officers and other qualified individuals with a means of securing
training in the field of law enforcement by:
- conducting an appropriate number of mandated entry-level law enforcement, communications, and corrections/detention certification programs to meet the needs and schedules of local, regional and state agencies
- developing and offering self-supporting, revenue-generating professional programs that meet the advanced training and continuing education needs of senior officers and agency administrators
- hosting, instructing or supporting specialized courses for agencies whose employees must, under state law or established professional practice, receive academy training
- identifying and offering a limited number of new and innovative training programs that address anticipated social and professional changes
- training law enforcement officers and other individuals in principles and techniques that will reduce domestic violence and violence against women
- training law enforcement officers and other individuals in principles and techniques of substance abuse prevention education and violence reduction, especially programs serving youth
- providing continuing education for certified reserve officers
- maintaining professional relationships with agencies and associations setting standards for law enforcement and public safety performance in Montana and supporting these standards through training
- To operate residential, training, and library facilities that promote high quality, cost-effective criminal justice education and training in a healthy and professional environment, maintaining the campus of Mountain View School as a safe, functional, cost-effective training facility for use by the academy and other public safety agencies.
- To support and enhance the current number of regional training programs being offered in local communities, to promote a diversity of regional training opportunities sufficient to address new enforcement problems as they emerge, and to maximize quality assurance measures for regional programs.
- To employ a legal training officer who can coordinate and instruct specialized legal topics and programs, provide consistent update and review for the legal aspects of all academy training programs and provide assistance as needed to the department's criminal prosecutors.
- To develop, publish and maintain records and documented criminal justice curriculum information that describes and supports professional standards of conduct that can be distributed to attorneys and citizens to demonstrate the expectations of performance by police and public safety providers.
| 7/06 - 12/06 | 1/07 - 6/07 | 7/07 - 12/07 | 1/08 - 6/08 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provide various training programs on campus and throughout the state to meet law enforcement needs | ||||
| Number of Basic Courses offered | 9 | 10 | ||
| Number of students who completed Basic Courses | 237 | 265 | ||
| Number of MLEA Professional Programs offered | 57 | 9 | ||
| Number of students who completed Professional Programs | 939 | 273 | ||
| Number of Regional Programs offered | 52 | 23 | ||
| Number of students who completed Regional Programs | 860 | 392 | ||
Forensic Science Division
Mission: To provide scientific and technical support to Montana's law enforcement community.
- To provide for a timely, efficient and objective analysis of physical evidence in felony and misdemeanor criminal cases.
- To provide for an efficient and effective system of investigating deaths.
- To expand laboratory technology and improve the investigative and analytical capabilities of laboratory personnel.
- To provide a genetic database of sexual and violent offenders for identifying perpetrators in violent offenses where authorities currently do not have a suspect.
- To improve and expand the crime scene investigative capabilities available to state and local jurisdictions.
- To provide expert testimony in court regarding forensic matters in felony and misdemeanor criminal cases.
- To provide training to state and local criminal justice personnel in evidence collection and management, death investigations, breath testing and crime scene investigations.
| 7/06 - 12/06 | 1/07 - 6/07 | 7/07 - 12/07 | 1/08 - 6/08 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Process cases received from law enforcement | ||||
| Cases received | 2,694 | 2,659 | 2,581 | 2,644 |
Gambling Control Division
- To ensure gambling is being conducted in a legal manner by authorized individuals.
- To investigate applicants and to issue gambling licenses and permits to qualified applicants in an efficient and effective manner.
- To efficiently collect and accurately account for gambling taxes and permits and distribute these revenues in a timely manner.
- To protect the health, safety, and welfare of all citizens by regulating gambling.
- To examine and approve prototypes of electronic gambling devices and their modifications for operation in the State of Montana.
- To ensure compliance with gambling laws and rules in an equitable and uniform manner.
- To provide investigative services to the Department of Revenue related to liquor licensees and the taxation and sale of tobacco.
- To assist local law enforcement as needed and upon request.
| 7/06 - 12/06 | 1/07 - 6/07 | 7/07 - 12/07 | 1/08 - 6/08 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collect video gambling machine taxes from licensed establishments | ||||
| Collected (in millions) | $30.03 | $30.5 | $31.8 | $31.6 |
| Issue gambling permits | ||||
| Issued | 19,097 | 3,230 | 20,058 | 2,168 |
| Conduct liquor and gambling license investigations | ||||
| Completed | 532 | 403 | 644 | 465 |
Highway Patrol Division
Mission: To safeguard the lives and property of the people using the highway traffic system of Montana through education, service and enforcement.
Field Forces Bureau
This bureau is comprised of the uniformed troopers who perform traffic patrol duties.
- To provide patrol coverage for all public highways in the state and to promote traffic safety by enforcement of traffic laws.
- To respond to traffic crashes, aid injured individuals, take enforcement action when appropriate and gather statistical data.
- To provide 24-hour, statewide dispatch service for the patrol and other state agencies.
- To assist motorists when their vehicles become disabled because of weather or mechanical difficulties and to report any hazardous conditions that exist on roadways, correcting them when possible.
- To deter the transportation of illegal drugs by identifying and arresting transporters and providing completed case files to assist in successful prosecution.
- To ensure the safe transportation of school children by conducting biennial inspections of all school buses and providing educational classes for school officials and school bus drivers.
- To promote highway safety through public service announcements, media interviews and presentations to schools, organizations and community leaders.
Field Services Bureau
This bureau is responsible for providing support services to the field forces such as supply, training, communications and commercial motor vehicle inspections.
Communications Section
- To provide two-way radio, phone and teletype public service and law enforcement communications services.
- To provide direct access to the Criminal Justice Information Network (CJIN), National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS) and National Crime Information Center (NCIC).
- To provide communications link between the patrol, other law enforcement agencies, emergency services and the public.
- To repair, maintain and install the electronic equipment necessary for the operation of the patrol's communication system.
Fleet and Supply Section
- To control the purchase, maintenance and final disposition of fleet vehicles, uniforms, supplies and radio equipment.
- To maintain a complete inventory of all division equipment.
- To be aware of changes in law enforcement and other equipment technology to ensure that the patrol is able to complete its mission in the most effective and cost-efficient manner.
- To identify and recommend changes, upgrades and additional equipment that is necessary to provide troopers the best margin of safety possible.
Training and Research Section
- To administer the Highway Patrol Recruit Academy, which trains all new patrol troopers, and provide specialized and in-service training for current employees and other law enforcement agencies.
- To administer a training records system so certification can be recorded and verified.
- To identify and develop new techniques and available training to safeguard troopers and protect the state from civil litigation, liability and criticism.
Management Services Bureau
This bureau is responsible for providing management support services, including facility, personnel, fiscal and records management.
Budget, Finance and Facilities Section
- To ensure the patrol operates within its allocated budget.
- To perform internal audits to ensure the division operates within the required policies and procedures.
Personnel Section
- To recruit and select the best possible candidates for vacant positions, following all rules, regulations and policies.
- To administer the patrol's promotional system to ensure that the best candidates are tested and that the process follows all required practices.
- To administer the patrol's day-to-day personnel functions.
Records Management Section
- To receive, classify and file crash reports received from city, county, Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies and individual drivers.
- To maintain computerized data on crash reports.
- To receive and file communications, incident, criminal offense and other reports as may be required by the division.
- To provide release of this information to the media and the public as allowed by law and policy.
- To respond to requests for information regarding traffic crashes from the public, attorneys, other law enforcement or government agencies.
- To compile data for an annual report detailing information regarding the efforts of the division to reduce crashes and making comparisons from one year to the next.
- To serve as the main repository for all records pertaining to the operation of the Highway Patrol.
| 7/06 - 12/06 | 1/07 - 6/07 | 7/07 - 12/07 | 1/08 - 6/08 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Increase seatbelt enforcement by 2% per year | ||||
| Seatbelt tickets and warnings issued | 7,201 | 8,171 | 5,505 | 8,019 |
| Install mobile data terminals in 10% of Patrol's 206-car fleet per year | ||||
| In-car terminals installed | 19 | 15 | 27 | 39 |
| Maintain trooper availability to immediately respond to calls | ||||
| Trooper availability | 40.16% | 40.58% | 38.4% | 41.03% |
Justice Information Technology Services Division
Mission: Collaborate with our partners and clients in the justice community; work to find timely, innovative technology solutions to support their business processes; and provide quality, cost-effective information technology services and support.
- To utilize information technology, including the network and infrastructure, in support of our customers' missions.
- To collect, store, integrate and disseminate accurate, timely and complete Department of Justice information as authorized by law for all divisions within the department.
- To develop, support and maintain all Department of Justice information technology systems.
- To ensure all federal, state and local agencies within the justice community have secure access to all systems maintained, developed and supported by the department's Justice Information Technology Services Division.
- To maintain the Criminal Justice Information Network (CJIN) that connects state and local agencies to federal criminal and investigative systems, including: the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), Western Identification Network (WIN), Nlets (the primary interstate law-enforcement network in the U.S.) and the FBI's Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS).
- To engineer, implement and maintain the Integrated Justice Information Sharing (IJIS) Broker. This system allows federal, state and local justice systems throughout the state to communicate with each other in a more effective and efficient manner, taking advantage of state-of-the-art technology.
- To provide an efficient and effective automated system of criminal identification (end-to-end fingerprints).
- To provide federal, state and local justice community customers access to the central Criminal History Record System (CHRS) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
- To administer the Montana Concealed Weapon Permits system.
- To provide a central information system for Montana Missing Persons by implementing the Photo Image Centralized System (PICS).
- To provide information technology support to the Motor Vehicle Division's Montana Enhanced Registration and Licensing Information Network (MERLIN) system, from development, rollout, testing and ongoing support.
- To engineer and maintain all systems for the Montana Highway Patrol.
- To work with and support all ongoing efforts in the Gambling Control Division in respect to integration with the GenTax system.
- To work with and support all ongoing efforts in the Forensic Science Division, including specialized equipment, applications and processes critical to crime lab operations.
- To work with and support all ongoing efforts in the Division of Criminal Investigation, including existing intelligence systems and those under development.
| 7/06 - 12/06 | 1/07 - 6/07 | 7/07 - 12/07 | 1/08 - 6/08 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assist law enforcement | ||||
| Calls to help desk | 6,568 | 6,655 | 6,601 | 7,757 |
| Maintain Criminal Justice Information Network (CJIN) workstations statewide | ||||
| In-office workstations | 281 | 288 | 295 | 306 |
| Mobile (in-car) workstations | 637 | 651 | 675 | 643 |
| Web-based users | 2,231 | 2,424 | 2,516 | 2,643 |
Legal Services Division
Appellate Services Bureau
- To represent the State of Montana in cases before local, state and federal courts, including all criminal appeals and post-conviction cases in state and federal courts.
Civil Services Bureau
- To represent the State of Montana in cases involving constitutional challenges to state laws and other major litigation against the state.
- To provide legal assistance to local governments on bond issues.
- To review proposed mergers and combinations among health care providers according to statutory criteria.
- To handle legal matters involving state-tribal issues, including providing consistent and accurate advice to state agencies on questions of Indian law, defending state agencies when their actions are challenged in court because of jurisdictional conflict between state law and tribal law, and ensuring a uniform state policy on Indian legal issues.
Prosecution Services Bureau
- To provide training to county attorneys.
- To assist county and city attorneys, federal, state and local law enforcement with research and advice on the handling of criminal cases.
- To provide trial assistance to county attorneys in complex cases and in cases in which the county attorney has a conflict of interest, such as public official misconduct.
- To represent the interests of county attorneys before the legislature in criminal law-related matters.
- To investigate citizen complaints against county attorneys.
- To assist county attorneys in the prosecution of Medicaid and workers' compensation fraud cases.
Agency Legal Services Bureau:
- To provide high quality contracted legal and investigative services to state agencies at a reasonable cost.
| 7/06 - 12/06 | 1/07 - 6/07 | 7/07 - 12/07 | 1/08 - 6/08 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handle criminal appeals and complex litigation in local, state and federal courts | ||||
| New cases opened | 190 | 182 | 192 | 140 |
| Cases closed | 210 | 180 | 180 | 180 |
| Issue Attorney General's opinions | ||||
| Opinions requested | 11 | 10 | 7 | 15 |
| Opinions/letters issued | 10 | 7 | 5 | 5 |
| Assist and provide training to county attorneys | ||||
| New matters opened | 33 | 44 | 54 | 34 |
| Provide legal assistance to state agencies | ||||
| New cases opened | 110 | 130 | 96 | 89 |
| Hours billed | 8,034.3 | 8,287.15 | 7,883.1 | 7,635.9 |
Motor Vehicle Division
The Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), under Title 61 and Title 23 of the Montana Code Annotated and certain federal statutes, is responsible for:
- examination of and licensing all drivers
- verifying identification
- creating and maintaining permanent driver and motor vehicle records
- titling and registration of all vehicles including boats, snowmobiles and ATVs
- inspecting and verifying vehicle identification numbers
- licensure and compliance control of motor vehicle dealers and manufacturers
- motor voter registration
Records and Driver Control Bureau
The bureau's mission is to assure that only qualified drivers may legally operate a motor vehicle on Montana roads. The bureau seeks to accomplish this by:
- maintaining records of all drivers including records of examination, license issuance or denial, violations, accidents, correspondence, changes of name or address, actions taken against the license or privilege to drive and medical or visual information
- exchanging driver record information with other jurisdictions and with federal agencies to ensure that the division licenses only those people who are qualified to operate a motor vehicle in the State of Montana
- administering revocations, suspensions, cancellations and reinstatements of driver's licenses and privileges or suspensions of vehicle registrations for violation of state laws
- issuing warning letters for problem drivers
Field Operations Bureau
The bureau's mission is to test driver's license applicants, issue and renew driver's licenses and identification cards, inspect vehicle identification numbers and provide investigative services for special driver's licensing problems. The bureau seeks to accomplish this by:
- conducting driver's licensing tests and issuing new and renewal driver's licenses and identification cards
- verifying the identities of people who apply for ID cards and driver licenses so they are issued only to qualified Montana residents
- investigating and re-testing as necessary in cases where a driver's medical condition has changed
- providing enhanced services to the public through the Cooperative Driver Training Program, which allows high school driver education instructors to test their students, and the Third Party Testing Program, which allows private businesses to test their commercial drivers
- registering voters through the motor voter system
- registering organ donors
- providing motor vehicle identification number (VIN) inspections
- providing training to driver examiners on a continuing basis to cover changes in licensing procedures and laws
Title and Registration Bureau
The bureau's mission is to issue vehicle titles and registrations to protect Montana vehicle owners and lien holders, investigate odometer fraud and vehicle theft, license and regulate motor vehicle dealers and manufacturers, and maintain vehicle-related records. The bureau seeks to accomplish this through:
- issuing titles for new and used vehicles, to both individual owners and licensed motor vehicle dealers
- licensing and regulating motor vehicle, snowmobile, boat and off-highway vehicle dealers, including investigating complaints and conducting audits of records
- valuing all motor vehicles for taxation purposes and sending motor vehicle registration renewal notices to vehicle owners each year
- auditing county and division financial transactions for compliance
- complying with laws governing odometer disclosure, inspecting vehicle identification numbers for rebuilt salvage vehicles and vehicles without valid identification numbers, and assigning vehicle identification numbers to vehicles that are missing them or to homemade vehicles
- filing motor vehicle liens and notices of lien filings
- providing county treasurers, motor vehicle dealers and financial institutions with materials and training for titling vehicles, filing liens and carrying out registration laws
- providing training to county treasurer employees, motor vehicle dealers and financial institutions on title and registration laws and issues
- providing training to local law enforcement agencies and assisting with in-depth investigations of motor vehicle fraud, odometer fraud, theft cases and consumer complaints
- issuing parking permits to people with disabilities
- maintaining records of all vehicles titled and registered in Montana
| 7/06 - 12/06 | 1/07 - 6/07 | 7/07 - 12/07 | 1/08 - 6/08 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issue titles for new and used vehicles | ||||
| Title transactions | 229,541 | 200,313 | 242,282 | 233,100 |
| Provide for motor vehicle registrations | ||||
| Vehicles registered | 385,208 | 419,222 | 329,749 | 469,508 |
| Renewal notices issued | 517,700 | 411,290 | 450,828 | 418,535 |
| Process motor vehicle lien filings/releases | ||||
| Lien filings processed | 102,941 | 78,382 | 90,259 | 89,810 |
| Lien releases processed | 64,072 | 63,119 | 65,584 | 67,143 |
| Regulate motor vehicle dealers/manufacturers in Montana | ||||
| Dealers and manufacturers licensed | 308 | 1,129 | 414 | 886 |
| Provide driver licensing services statewide | ||||
| Driver's licenses issued | 81,320 | 98,215 | 83,980 | 71,903 |
| Motor voter registrations processed | 7,839 | 7,732 | 8,586 | 8,143 |
| Perform special extended driving licensing investigations and hearings | ||||
| Special investigations and hearing conducted | 228 | 169 | 185 | 180 |
| Provide vehicle identification number (VIN) inspection services | ||||
| VIN inspections | 528 | 470 | 534 | 599 |
| Create, maintain and disseminate driver records | ||||
| Documents imaged | 141,258 | 106,800 | 136,736 | 95,526 |
| Convictions recorded | 39,336 | 61,822 | 56,203 | 55,041 |
| Administer license revocations, suspensions, cancellations and reinstatements | ||||
| Revocations, suspensions, cancellations, and probationary licenses issued | 21,684 | 21,140 | 23,143 | 25,490 |
