Dutton, Guzynski talk public safety at Lincoln meet and greet

Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton and County Attorney candidate Dan Guzynski hosted a meet and greet at the Pitstop in Lincoln Tuesday, Oct. 11 to discuss their thoughts on law enforcement and public safety with Lincoln residents.

Guzynski is currently the lead prosecutor at the Montana Department of Justice and is running against Kevin Downs for the county attorney position being vacated by Leo Gallagher, who is retiring after 22 years. Dutton is facing off against John “Doc” Holiday of Helena as he seeks re-election to the job he’s held since 2008.

The Lincoln get-together provided the candidates the opportunity to talk with the half dozen people who stopped in about evolving law enforcement challenges facing the state and the county, concerns about lax sentencing, repeat offenders, pre-trial and diversion programs, and follow-ups on cases.

“The main topic was, in fact, public safety,” Guzynski told the BVD. “They want to make sure the town of Lincoln stays a safe place. One topic was that governments exist to make sure people are safe. I think myself and Sheriff Dutton whole heartedly agree. That’s why we’re in the positions that we’re in.”

Partnership was another key topic that came up, both between the public and law enforcement and between the sheriff’s office and the county attorney.

“Our office… the mission statement is ‘We provide professional law enforcement services in partnership with the communities,’” Dutton said. He pointed out that his deputies can’t be everywhere and shouldn’t need to be if people are law-abiding and the communities are partners in keeping the peace. “That’s how government should work. The people should be partners.”

Art McCafferty, one of the residents on hand, said it comes down to neighbors watching out for one another, which isn’t something people are always good about. “Lincoln has a little bit of a problem of ‘I’ll come help you if your house burns down, but I’m not paying that much attention to you other than that.’”

He suggested that Lincoln residents may have to get better at watching out for one another if and when the increasing crime and drug problems plaguing the country reach Lincoln.

“Everybody can stand up and be a neighbor,” Dutton agreed.

Partnership is likewise at the heart of the mutual support Dutton and Guzynski have for one another in their campaigns.

Though two have known each other professionally since working together on the 2014 Timothy Newman homicide in Augusta, Dutton originally planned to stay out of the county attorney race. He said it was Guzynski’s experience that ultimately prompted his support.

“For my office, what I need is somebody with the experience of supervising attorneys, able to walk in with an idea of how to do major crimes,” he said. “There are other people there who can help with civil. You don’t have to be an expert in everything, but you have to have trial experience. You’ve got to have managerial experience; you’ve got have experience on how to put in a hierarchy on how to run that office. He has it. the other guy doesn’t.”

Guzynski said he’s honored that Dutton wants to partner with him.

“I work with sheriffs all over the state doing prosecutions right now. There are few sheriffs who are as much engaged in our public safety as Sheriff Dutton,” he said. “When I decided to run, I knew that if I won, I would be partnering with Sheriff Dutton.”

He believes there is a need for better communication between the County Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Office. In the last ten months traveling the county, he said he’s seen how much people appreciate Dutton’s work and commitment to public safety.

“I think that’s what attracted me to the job too,” he said. “That’s why he was one of the first people I contacted.”

During the conversation, both Dutton and Guzynski talked about how important it is for residents to engage with their state representatives and senators about concerns about public safety.

“It’s the laws the legislature passes that the judge reads and goes ‘oh, I can only do this, I can only do that.’ The judge has to follow the (law),” Dutton said.

For Joyce Ferguson of Lincoln, the increasing complexities of those laws, particularly when it comes to plea agreements or lax prosecutions, seems overwhelming. “(The) law has been so mutilated, I have no idea anymore what these laws are. I don’t know all the restrictions these judges have to go by.”

Dutton said it’s important for residents to let their representatives know that there are issues with the laws they pass.

Guzynski addressed the concerns about light or suspended sentences and probation directly and said many of the issues can be traced back to the Commission on Sentencing set up by Gov. Steve Bullock in 2015-16, which he served on.

“What it did was, it really diluted accountability in our state,” he said, adding he believes it’s a big public safety issue that hasn’t gotten the coverage it should.

“I voted against a lot of what that commission came up with. It didn’t keep us safe,” he said. “I think there’s a real willingness with (Gov. Greg) Gianforte and (Attorney General Austin) Knutson to push back on that legislation.

Despite the light turnout, Guzynski felt the meet and greet went well.

“Tonight, the people who were here were really, really engaged,” he said. “It was impactful. I learned a lot about their concerns. I think it was a good opportunity for them to learn about me, and that I really support public safety.”