Patrol Division
Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division are, often times, the first to arrive on-scene of any call for service or incident within Missoula County.
The Patrol Division is comprised of four teams who cover five patrol zones (map) within the 2,618 miles of Missoula County. Examples of calls for service range from in-progress crimes, crisis response and intervention, visual crime deterrent, traffic complaints, officer advice, and missing persons. This list is not all-inclusive. There are many more contacts made by Missoula County Sheriff's Office Deputies each day.
Our K9 Unit works very closely with our Patrol Division. To learn more about our K9 Unit, please click here.
Those assigned to the Patrol Division are the face of the agency and are always happy to assist residents and visitors in Missoula County. The Patrol Division is commanded by Captain Cochran and supported by Lieutenant Sargent.
Career Opportunities
Captain Ryan Prather
Captain Prather has been a member of the Missoula County Sheriff's Office since October of 2008. Before joining Missoula County, Captain Prather started his law enforcement career with the Polson Police Department and Missoula Police Department. Over the years, Captain Prather has taken on a variety of roles within the office, showcasing his versatility and commitment to excellence in law enforcement.
Throughout his tenure, Captain Prather has served as a Captain of Detectives, Patrol Deputy, Deputy Coroner, Patrol Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, Field Training Officer (FTO), Special Response Team (SRT) Member, and Cadet Coordinator. He currently serves as the Captain of the Patrol Division and Search and Rescue (SAR) Coordinator.
Lieutenant Josh Volinkaty
Lieutenant Volinkaty started his law enforcement career as a Reserve Deputy for the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office in 2008. In 2009, he was hired by the Missoula Police Department where he was employed for 5.5 years.
In April 2015, Lieutenant Volinkaty joined the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office as a Patrol Deputy. Since that time, he has served as a Field Training Officer, Corporal, Detective, Patrol Sergeant, Administrative Lieutenant, Special Teams Sergeant, and Special Response Team (S.R.T) member.
In his current role as the Patrol Lieutenant, he also serves as a Deputy Coroner, Crisis Negotiator (C.N.T), and Search and Rescue Coordinator.
If you would like to file a complaint regarding a Deputy, please complete the Report of Complaint form. The completed form can be delivered to our office or emailed to [email protected].