by Ashley Walen, Hamilton
On August 31, 2026, I ended my engagement due to safety concerns. I was then given approximately two weeks to leave the property where I had been living. Although I received no formal eviction notice, I immediately began arranging to remove my belongings and leave peacefully.
After the relationship ended, I made two written requests that my former fiancé and his family stop contacting me. Despite those requests, additional attempts were made to reach me through other people and communication channels. This left me increasingly concerned that my boundaries were not being respected while I was trying to leave.
Because of these concerns, I began locking the house. On September 8, the homeowner’s father entered the residence without my authorization and asked for the keys (leading me to believe he was trying to enter the house when I wasn’t there). On September 16, while I was packing, he entered the property again, not once but twice, inspected my vehicle, and proceeded to follow me into the house. These incidents made an already stressful departure feel intimidating and unsafe.
I contacted the Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office because I wanted assistance finishing the move without confrontation. At that point, I estimated that I needed only 30 to 45 minutes to collect my remaining belongings and leave peacefully. I was told that sending someone would require taking a deputy off patrol and that a civil standby would involve a three-day wait and a fee.
I understand that deputies must prioritize emergencies and that civil standbys may be governed by department policy. However, is a three-day delay and a fee appropriate when someone reports repeated unwanted contact, unauthorized entry, intimidation, and legitimate safety concerns?
I did not have an active protective order, but that did not erase the circumstances that caused me to seek help. People often request law-enforcement assistance because they are trying to prevent a situation from escalating.
What are residents’ taxes paying for if someone trying to leave a potentially unsafe domestic situation must wait three days and pay for a brief police presence?
Ravalli County residents deserve clear information about when civil standbys are available, how fees are determined, whether safety-related exceptions exist, and what immediate alternatives are offered.
No one should have to choose between remaining in a frightening situation and retrieving their belongings without protection. I urge county officials to review this policy and explain how residents can obtain timely help when they fear for their safety.
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