The town of West Yellowstone welcomes its new Chief of Police who is no stranger within the community. Mike Gavagan started as the new Police Chief not long ago and is excited to take on this very important role.
“It's a terrific opportunity to make a difference and leave a mark on a community that I love living in and I'm planning on retiring in,” says Gavagan.
Gavagan has lived in West Yellowstone for nearly two decades and knows what it takes to run the police department. He is no stranger to law enforcement within the small community.
“I've lived in West Yellowstone for 18 and a half years started at the West Yellowstone PD back in 2010," says Gavagan, "Was there to go to the sheriff's office to be a resident deputy here in West Yellowstone and they've done that for the last nine years."
One resident of the community who also works with Chief Gavagan has only good things to share about him and believes he will greatly benefit the community in his new role.
“I've worked with him about a year and a half with the Gallatin County Sheriff's Department. And I find working with him was very educational and I do enjoy it quite a bit,” says Bonnie Sullivan of the West Yellowstone Police Department.
Chief Gavagan has some new plans for the officers within the department that requires them to get out into the community more.
“I want them to interface with the public. I'd like him to be more involved in community activities and programs and you know, helping with the school,” says Gavagan.
Although there may be some growing pains at first, the future looks positive for Gavagan and the Police Department. He assures us things will get better with officers coming out of training very soon.
“It's been challenging in the sense that right now I have two officers that are not done with training. And so I'm covering shifts,” says Gavagan.
Bonnie Sullivan is a firm believer in the positive changes the new Chief will bring. Not only to the department but to the community of West Yellowstone as a whole.
“I think is awesome because he used to be a police officer for here," says Sullivan, "He knows the community and is very active in the community. And I think he will be a great asset.”
