Militia Not Materializing In Darby Sheriff Says Members Are Not Arriving, While Support For Authorities Grows

A national call from the North American Volunteer Militia for members to gather in the Bitterroot Valley apparently is going unheeded, so far, and Town Marshal Larry Rose says that’s just fine with him.

Rose said Wednesday he also is aware of threats the militia will target him personally, but it hasn’t happened and support is growing with other citizens.

“There’s very few people involved in this (militia) activity compared to the ones who are supporting me,” Rose said. “I had a bunch of guys circle my house the other night to stand watch, so I could get some sleep,” he said.

The Highway Patrol also has increased its activity in the area, he said.

Earlier this week, the militia’s national director, Joe Holland, sent a notice to militia members urging them to gather in Hamilton and Darby on Wednesday.

Before that call, advertisements also told of a mock trial in Woodside, north of Hamilton, slated for tonight. Officials said the ads came from the Broken Arrow Elk Ranch, operated by militia leader Calvin Greenup.

Rose said the trial might be nothing more than a discussion and there have been no reports of militia members converging on the area.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Joe Mazurek met with Ravalli County officials Monday to talk about assisting with the prosecution of several people involved in an armed confrontation with officers in Darby on April 2.

Mazurek said his office is following normal procedures, but he expects to be criticized for moving too slowly.

“Maybe they want people kicking down doors and taking immediate action,” Mazurek said. “We take our time, we investigate and we make sure we have sufficient evidence to sustain a charge. I don’t mean to say this is not something we are concerned about, but we are trying to approach it like any other case.”

Rose said he hopes a confrontation can be avoided and discussions promoted between militia members and lawmen.

“A lot of the police officers agree with these people and some of their issues; we realize that there is a lot of corruptness in government, too,” Rose said. “These guys are just over-radical. If they want to keep it up, they’re just going to create more gun laws.”