As a bus operator in Missoula I witnessed atrocious behavior by criminal vagrants, parolees, drunks, drug users and the mentally impaired. Every route has its problems but by far the most egregious behavior was usually caused by convicted felons who are smart enough to know how to take advantage of Missoula’s lenient judges and how to scam a justice system all too willing to set them free with little or no consequences for their crimes. It was heartbreaking to watch the relief of passengers when predatory offenders were arrested then watch their relief turn to despair when the felons were released only to reappear back on the bus within a day or so, acting even more aggressive and intimidating. We bus drivers did what we could to protect the other riders but the stress on drivers and passengers was always palpable every time we pulled up to a stop. These criminal vagrants exhibited bad enough behavior on the bus. I often wondered how bad they were when not under security camera surveillance and the driver’s watch. Small business owners in Downtown Missoula have similar experiences several times a day. The taxpayers are tired of repeat violent and sexual offenders being let off with no or little jail time. It emboldens criminals to offend when judges in Missoula refuse to incarcerate these predators. We need to enforce strict guidelines in sentencing to keep them off our streets. The police are tired of watching repeat offenders walk free. Bus drivers and passengers are tired of dealing with their egregious behavior, the small business owners are tired of the crimes they repeatedly commit and the taxpayers in Missoula are tired of enduring increasingly aggressive and emboldened convicted felons in our community.
Judges and prosecuting attorneys need to enforce the law. Allowing 5% of the homeless community to repeatedly cause 95% of the problems in Missoula by setting them free again and again is not sustainable any longer.
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