Henderson patrols Forest Service land in two counties

As the law enforcement officer for the Forest Service covering Mineral and most of Sanders counties, Bobby Henderson is right where he wants to be.

A 2004 Frenchtown High School graduate, Henderson is semi-new to this position, but not to the Forest Service as he has worked his way up from rudimentary tasks to being where he is today. 

“I started out in recreation at the 9-Mile Ranger District in 2005 and did that for four years. Cleaning campgrounds and doing maintenance around the 9-Mile compound. Some trail work, helping with the mules and then in 2008, I switched over to fire where I got a fire apprentice position but then that became a permanent position,” he said. “I was with the Missoula National Helitack until 2012 and have been here since 2013 on the fire crew,” he speaks from his desk at the Superior Ranger District. 

He was one of the first to respond to the West Mullan fire in his first year in Superior as cire prevention officer and was promoted to engine captain in 2016 until 2021 when he applied for and was accepted for the law enforcement position in 2021. 

“I went to the federal academy down in Georgia and graduated in February of 2022.  Originally, I was assigned to Dickinson, North Dakota so I sold my house here (Superior) and halfway through the academy they realized they needed a Law Enforcement Officer here in Superior so I was able to transfer back since I knew the area.” 

Henderson built his new home across the street from his original one where he and his wife and two boys live today. He has a sociology and criminal justice degree from MSU-Billings as law enforcement was his goal as a youngster but he didn’t even know that there was a law enforcement division in the Forest Service until he started working for them.

The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center program is 16 weeks long in Glynco, Georgia followed by three months of field training. 

“U.S. Marshall, NCIS, ATF and all federal law enforcement agencies go to this academy except the FBI,” he explained. 

And because Henderson covers so much territory, he is also deputized in Mineral, Sanders, and Missoula counties. Henderson has assisted in serving warrants with local sheriff's offices and responds when called just like every other agency does in rural Montana as they depend on each other and work together. 

“I have an extra level of responsibility on the national forest but I help out the state and counties when I can.” 

Henderson was on snowmobile patrol near the Idaho-Montana border last spring when the St. Regis shooting occurred but made an about face and arrived on the scene as quickly as he could. He has assisted a U.S. Marshal in arresting an individual with a federal warrant up Petty Creek, but most of his infractions are misdemeanors for camping, or when people attempt to live on national forests past their 16 days. 

Sanitation, garbage issues, food storage issues due to bears, enforcing fire restrictions in the summer, fireworks (which are not allowed on national forests, ever). Firewood permits for cutting firewood are required on National Forests and Henderson has dealt with people stealing wood from USFS timber sales (timber theft), and he can assist with US Fish & Wildlife Service but his focus is on timber and recreation on federal property.  

To help keep people safe during wintertime, he does snowmobile patrolling to be sure in-state and out-of-state machines are registered and they have the correct snowmobile trail passes. During the hunting season he checks for tags and licenses when he observes an animal in the bed of a truck, and he examines fishing licenses when he sees people fishing on national forest property. 

“I definitely enjoy living here. I was super glad to get back, not only to Montana but the Lolo (National Forest) and back to Superior,” Henderson said with a big grin.