HELENA — After a 20-year career with the Lewis and Clark Sheriff's Office, Captain Shane Hildenstab is calling it a career.
Hildenstab began his time with the Sheriff's Office working on patrol, before taking several different positions and assignments across his tenure including working as a trainer and D.A.R.E. officer.
Hildenstab noted there were sometimes where the job was not always easy, but one of the things that always made it interesting was working with the local community.
"I really just think the people. I worked at a lead smelter before I became a deputy and I vowed that I'd never have a job where every day was the same. So in the patrol division even on calls, and you know, I was at that I was going, "Why did I get dispatched to this call? Why me?" because it seemed like I always seem to get those types of calls that you're like, "Why? Why me?" and then you leave there and you go, "Where else would you get an opportunity to meet — meet people that you meet? Where else would you get an opportunity to see the things that you've seen?" and so for me, just the difference in every day. That's what I loved about the job is every day was different."
Hildenstab noted he would be staying local to the Helena area in his future endeavors, and one of the things he'll miss most is being with his colleagues.
"It's my coworkers the people I work with from the Sheriff on down to the brand new people that are starting. Law enforcement truly as a family, I mean, we're with people in our profession more sometimes than we are at home. And it's just the camaraderie, the friendships you develop throughout. Just seeing everybody on a day to day basis is going to be hard not to do."
