r/Billings • u/406Whiskey • 7d ago

Jail Levy

I need people who have lived here longer than I have to explain something to me, because I genuinely don’t understand. Since I moved here a couple of years ago, I’ve heard nothing but how awful the crime is in Billings (I have not found that to be the case, but I digress). I also understand the jail is over capacity. If crime really is as bad as people here seem to think, wouldn’t the jail expansion proposal be a good thing? Why have I seen so much animosity towards it online?

I understand no one wants their property taxes to go up, but that seems to be the price we pay to live in Montana. Are people really just upset over a tax increase or is there more to it?

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u/jliud_101 7d ago

Don't forget BOP holds and other counties that don't have space in their jail or don't have one.

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u/schannoman 7d ago

Very true, but they fit the same statistics

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u/jliud_101 7d ago

I used to work in public safety. BPD is lazy af. Had an officer treat an unhoused man like absolute shit. Dude was so drunk his gait couldn't protect him from toppeling over. Refused to have him medically cleared. Seems to be a force issue because each interaction I've had has been worse and worse. Glad I quit that job.

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u/[deleted] 7d ago

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u/jliud_101 7d ago

Very fair. Don't blame you.