It's a Tough Job, But Someone's Gotta Patrol on the ATV
Law enforcement is a tough job, but sometimes it has its fun moments. Just ask Kip Wills, the president of IBPO Local 486 in Boise, Idaho, who works part-time as a recreational enforcement deputy for the Elmore County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's department serves some 40,000 residents spread over an area of about 5,000 square miles, mostly forest and back country with four major lakes, three major rivers, and thousands of miles of forest roads—all of which require patrolling. And you can't exactly patrol the lake in a Crown Victoria.
So what does Wills do when he's working in the wilderness for Sheriff Rick Layher? He rides a big four-wheel ATV, like the one in the photo. Or a dirt bike. Or a snowmobile. Or a jet ski. Or with the marine deputies in their boats. Better still, Wills' family gets to stay with him when he's on duty.
"The area we patrol is so remote, and the sheriff understands how hard it can be for us to be away from our families, so our families can stay with us in the substation cabin while we're working," said Wills. Wills and three other part-time recreational deputies assist a staff of two full-time mountain patrol deputies, two full-time marine deputies, four part-time marine deputies and their supervisor, Sgt. Layrtreda Schultz.