A private security company is set to continue to patrolling city parks and homeless shelters after the Missoula City Council preliminarily approved an amended one-year contract on Wednesday.
The contract with Black Knight Security calls for a 3% pay increase for its employees to patrol areas and assist the Missoula Police Department and Poverello Center with calls for service.
The contract is worth $779,861.28, an increase from $670,000 from last contract year.
“The point of all this, I feel, is to limit direct police department involvement so (The Missoula Police Department) can go out and do normal police things in the community,” Ward 5 Councilor Bob Campbell, a former police officer, said.
The city also has a separate contract with Black Knight Security to manage access to City Hall and Missoula City Council chambers. A total cost estimate for that contract was not immediately available.
While one councilor continued calls for the private security firm to wear body cameras, others said those upgrades could be included in a new contract next year.
“I do think that next year we can look at how to build this into the budget as much as possible,” City Council Vice President Mirtha Becerra said. “… I am certainly open to conversations where we can continue to improve on our transparency.”
The council voted 8-1 to approve the contract, with Ward 3 Councilor Daniel Carlino casting the only “no” vote. Council is scheduled to take a final vote on the contract on Monday, Oct. 6.
The city has historically used private security firms to help enforce its urban camping law and homeless shelter rules, but the agency must call the Missoula Police Department if a situation escalates.
Between Jan. 1 and Sept. 15, Black Knight had to call for a Missoula Police response once around every 15 interactions they had with the public, according to Ward 3 Councilor Gwen Jones.
“We are trying to help mitigate the police department not having to increase its capacity,” Black Night Security President of Operations Ariana Jones told the council.
Jones shared data that over the last three years, two Black Knight Security employees used force against a person. Both instances were in response to an assault of the officer.
Under the new contract, Black Knight Security employees will make $44.03 per hour for patrolling at city parks and responding to shelters and public streets. That pay rate increases to $66.05 per hour for overtime purposes.
For operations at City Hall and Council Chambers, Black Knight employees would make $32.36 per hour, and $48.54 per hour for overtime pay.
City Chief Administrative Officer Dale Bickell said while the city could have to submit a budget amendment to cover the costs, the city is budgeting “conservatively” and might not spend the entire contract cost.
He also noted that the city has a $500,000 reserve fund in its urban camping enforcement budget that can likely cover the contract increase.
Future Body Cameras?
Ward 3 Councilor Carlino, the lone “no” vote, said he generally disagrees with private security companies working in public spaces like city parks. He has previously voted against the private security contracts.
Carlino has also continued to call on council to require body cameras for private security employees, like the cameras that are required for the Missoula Police Department.
“It creates a lot of transparency and accountability, and I think it should be the same for private companies that we hire to patrol our streets as well,” Carlino said.
All Missoula Police Department officers wear body cameras, Carlino noted.
Carlino proposed an amendment to provide body cameras for Black Knight Security, which failed on an 8-2 vote. Ward 6 Councilor Kristen Jordan joined Carlino in support of the change.
Jones said this is not the first time Carlino has proposed adding body cameras to the contract and said the conversation is no longer necessary.
“The statistics (Ariana Jones) provided clearly shows that we do not need this level of intervention,” Jones said. “This is a far more lighter touch where folks can be out there interacting with people, helping them deescalate a situation.”
Some councilors did express interest in adding body cameras once a new contract is required, which will happen in 2026. Under city policy, the contract will be open to the public for bidding.
Although the cameras would add costs to the contract, Campbell said the addition could benefit both he public and the next private security company.
“It is an important tool,” Campbell said. “When things happen, it is important have the best record we can bring to any sort of liability that might happen.”
Campbell did raise concerns about using Black Night Security at the Poverello Center, arguing the shelter is getting free services from the private security company.
Missoula City Council President Amber Sherrill said she believes Carlino’s “heart is in the right place,” but adding the cameras in to the contract now could lead to increased funding needs from the city.
The Missoula City Council will meet next on Oct. 6.
Griffen Smith is the local government reporter for the Missoulian.
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