Editing Billings, Montana (section)

===Public safety===
The [[Billings Police Department]] is the main [[law enforcement agency]] in Billings. It is the largest city police force in [[Montana]], with about 162 sworn officers and 80 civilian employees. There are nine police beats.

The Billings Fire Department was founded in 1883 as a volunteer fire company named the Billings Fire Brigade. The Yellowstone Hook and Ladder Company was founded in 1886; that company was disbanded in 1888 after the mayor criticized the group for how that handled a fire, leaving the town without a fire department for almost six months.<ref>{{cite web|title=History of the Billings Fire Department|url=http://ci.billings.mt.us/index.aspx?NID=851|publisher=City of Billings|access-date=February 24, 2013}}</ref> The last volunteer fire company, Maverick Hose Company, served as the city's fire department until 1918.<ref>{{cite web|title=Taking Off|url=http://ci.billings.mt.us/index.aspx?NID=1789|publisher=City of Billings|access-date=February 24, 2013|archive-date=June 29, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629212715/http://ci.billings.mt.us/index.aspx?NID=1789|url-status=dead}}</ref> The modern fire department has eight stations, employs 179 people, and received a class two rating by ISO.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fire {{!}} City of Billings, MT - Official Website |url=https://www.billingsmt.gov/2884/Fire |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=www.billingsmt.gov}}</ref>