The man in the black hat – Ravalli County Sheriff Steve Holton

by Kristin Kruse

Steve Holton, Ravalli County Sheriff and Coroner, wears a black hat. Although a black hat is sometimes associated with the ‘bad’ guys, Holton considers himself one of the good guys.

“I never aspired to be sheriff, it just kind of happened,” said Holton in a recent interview with the Bitterroot Star.

Originally from the small ranching town of Dell, Holton moved to Hamilton with his family in 1990. His mother was a teacher at Hamilton’s elementary school, and his father a worker at the stockyards in Missoula. Holton graduated from Hamilton High School in 1994 and decided to pursue a career in auto collision repair and refinishing, and moved to Laramie, Wyoming to attend school at Wyoming Technical Institute. Once finished with school, Holton returned to Hamilton and worked out of an auto garage and also did some cabinet making.  

He and his wife Michelle were married in 1995 and got busy starting a family. His path into law enforcement began when a friend of his from high school joined the Sheriff’s Office as a reserve deputy, and Holton decided to give it a go. In 1996 he was sworn in as a reserve deputy, which at the time was a full-time commitment. 

Between his reserve position and his regular full-time job, Holton was working 80 plus hours a week. With two young kids at home, and never seeing her husband, Michelle pushed him to apply for a paid position, which he did and in 1999 became a full-time deputy.

“I really wanted to become a sergeant, and hoped to accomplish that in five or so years,” recalls Holton. “I didn’t ever want to be sheriff.”

As his career evolved, he found himself in a variety of positions, including Field Training Officer, Patrol Sergeant, and Patrol Supervisor which, according to Holton, was his favorite job. At one point he injured his ankle and was put on light duty and assigned to work as a detective, which he really enjoyed. In addition to his current workload, Holton is also the Deputy Reserve Coordinator, Search and Rescue Coordinator, and has been the county’s Crisis Negotiator for several years. 

In 2013, his career path changed dramatically when he was appointed Undersheriff, working under Sheriff Chris Hoffman. Hoffman then retired from his position halfway through his term, and Holton was appointed to finish the term. He then ran for Sheriff the next term, and his position as Sheriff was cemented. He plans on running again in 2027.

Holton appointed Jesse Jessop as Undersheriff in 2020. Jessop and Holton are the same age, graduated from high school the same year, grew up in the same area, and had mutual friends, but they had never met. When they did finally meet, Holton said right away, “We are going to be friends,” and they are.

“We are a great team, we think the same and really compliment each other,” said the Sheriff. 

Holton said he has some professional goals that he hopes to achieve. “I would like to add both deputy and detention officer positions, and build a fully staffed 911 department by making it an attractive career. I’d like to see the department grow to meet the growth of the community. We also are looking to embrace technology.”

On a more personal side of things, Holton’s wife of 29 years, Michelle, owns and operates Hamilton’s well-loved Back Door Deli, which keeps her very busy, according to Holton. The couple have four grown children, Samantha, Jordan, Stephanie and Delanie, and four grandchildren. As a family they enjoy camping and four-wheeling all over western Montana and eastern Idaho.

When asked how he would describe himself, Sheriff Holton laughed and said, “I’m tired. Actually, what’s more important to me is how my staff sees me.”

When asked to share something that most people do not know about him, Holton stated, “I am an avid reader. I like American and Western history mostly.” He is also a leatherworker, which is something he enjoys when there is a rare moment with nothing going on. “It is a great way for me to unwind and stop thinking about work,” said Holton. He enjoys making belts and wallets and someday hopes to make a saddle.