A Message from Elmore County Sheriff Mike Hollinshead

Friday, February 10, 2023

ECSO

Over the past few days, I have received a number of questions from concerned citizens regarding the events that took place in and around Mountain Home High School during the first week of February. I take these inquires seriously. We are all aware that information spreads like wildfire and can have an equally devastating effect when it is not accurate.

I will begin by stating that after a series of meetings, after-action reports, and a thorough investigation, I have learned that an un-informed member of my staff sent out un-substantiated information of an ongoing operation to another law enforcement agency. It has also come to my attention that the decisions made by other law enforcement agencies were based primarily on this inaccurate, incomplete information. We believe that this is an area where all of the agencies involved can work together to improve our communication and prevent these kinds of issues moving forward.

Both Chief Greg Berry and I take these discoveries very seriously. There should never be a time when sensitive information about ongoing law enforcement investigations is released, without context, to anyone outside of the Sheriff’s Office. When bad information is passed out, bad outcomes are usually the result. While I cannot comment on the specifics of ongoing investigations, I feel like it is important to share what I can in a way that will allow us to move forward.

My office was requested to assist with the arrest of a juvenile person who had entered school grounds in violation of a no trespass order. That information had been provided by school staff to Elmore County Juvenile Probation (ECJP). The officers of Juvenile Probation reached out to Mountain Home PD and to my agency, as the person in question was known to law enforcement, Juvenile Probation Officers, and school staff from prior contact with all three. The location of the person in question was unknown, so we worked over several days with agencies across southern Idaho, to include MHPD, ISP, and ECJP to locate the person and to take them into custody. I would like to add that my agency is unaware of any

plan to conduct any tactical operations on or near school grounds. In fact, we were already working with the Police Department, Juvenile Probation, ISP, and the school district on the Friday before the lockdown incident to ensure that safety and security of everyone in attendance at the basketball game that night.

I am personally and professionally impressed with the lengths my field staff went to during the planning and carrying out of this event to effect the arrest of the person in question away from innocent bystanders and their continuing efforts to ensure that the safety and security of the public was

foremost. Their willingness to adjust plans when asked to assist partnering agencies is a hallmark of our Sheriff’s Office guiding principles that encompass our duty to professional, courteous, and appropriate action in all areas of our job.

Over the course of my lengthy career as a public servant, I have learned that decisions made as a team result in more favorable outcomes, and that you don’t have to be an expert in every field if you surround yourself with well-trained people and then trust their ability to communicate and process information quickly.

In this case, the swift decision-making of all of the agencies involved prevented anyone from being injured or further violation of the law from occurring, and it is clear the actions of all parties were in the best interest of the community and done especially with the safety of the students foremost in mind. I want to especially thank the Officers from Elmore County Juvenile Probation Division for their ongoing support and communication, as well as the Idaho State Police. I also want to recognize the efforts of the Mountain Home Police Department, with special note to several of the officers working under the direction of Chief Thompson for their willingness to engage with us throughout this week-long incident.

We want to move forward with the knowledge that while this scenario was ultimately positive, there is always room to improve both our communication and our tactics. Our schools should never be a place of anything other than learning, creativity, and positive growth, and the safety of our children is our

utmost priority. We will continue to do everything we can to make Mountain Home and Elmore County the haven we have loved for many generations.