BOZEMAN - Bozeman Municipal Court is celebrating the start of their misdemeanor DUI Treatment Court – the BRIDGERS Court – with a public launch event on May 2 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Bozeman Public Safety Center’s Community Room. This event will provide members of the public with an opportunity to learn about the treatment program and referral process and engage with others interested in reducing DUIs in Gallatin County. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. 

BRIDGERS Court is an alternative to incarceration for individuals facing DUI 2nd, DUI 3rd, or Aggravated DUI charges whose involvement in the legal system is rooted in a substance use disorder or a co-occurring substance use/mental health disorder. It is a voluntary 12- to 15-month program that uses a collaborative and evidence-based approach to connect participants with community resources and treatment services.  

The therapeutic program design aims to break cycles of addiction and legal involvement by addressing underlying causes of substance use disorder. Participants undergo an intensive regimen of substance use disorder treatment, case management, drug testing, and probation supervision while reporting to regularly scheduled status hearings before the judge. 

Municipal Court Judge Colleen Herrington, who also presides over the Veteran Eligible Treatment Services (V.E.T.S.) Court, spearheaded the new program. “I saw a great need for this program with the number of DUIs and number of stacking offenses - 2nd and 3^rd DUIs - that were being cited. I needed to find a new solution to reduce the number of DUIs and increase public safety,” Herrington explained. 

The BRIDGERS Court is funded through a 4-year $900,000 federal Bureau of Justice Assistance grant which was applied for in April 2023 and awarded in October 2023. The team has begun screening applicants and aims to hold their first court session on June 11. The court can serve a maximum of 25 participants at once.  

In 2022, there were approximately 695 misdemeanor and 110 felony DUI citations between Bozeman and Belgrade’s Municipal Courts and Gallatin County’s Justice and District Courts. National research confirms that DUI court participants are 19 times less likely to reoffend. Taxpayers also benefit when offenders remain in the community, with their families and in jobs as opposed to costly jail time. 

Those interested in learning more or referring someone to this program can contact rboundy@bozeman.net.