MISSOULA, Mont. — Law enforcement leaders met in Missoula to talk about rising meth use, public safety and growing pressure on Montana’s main crime lab.
Attorney General Austin Knudsen joined state and local agencies for the roundtable in Missoula, which is home to the state’s largest forensic crime lab [link to Montana crime lab].
Knudsen said the lab was already at capacity while it continued taking on more cases. He said lawmakers would likely need to address how the state expands its forensic resources in the next couple of years.
"One of the things that's really... top of mind for me, and I think this is probably a little longer term. The crime lab here in Montana really is at capacity. And I mean, I mean, actually, the building here in Missoula, we are out of power. We are out of space. We don't have dirt to grow. The building was not designed to get added on, either out or up. Um, that's something that the legislature's gonna have to deal with, I think, in the next couple of years," Knudsen said.
The discussion came as agencies reported more methamphetamine and cocaine use across Montana, even as fentanyl use declined.
Local law enforcement said they hoped stronger coordination between agencies could help reduce those drug trends and improve public safety.
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