Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Wade Palmer retired today after an eight-year career. Critically injured in the line of duty in March 2019, Palmer received a medical retirement from the agency.

Palmer, accompanied by his wife and children, received a final sendoff from friends and coworkers at Patrol headquarters in Helena this afternoon. The Patrol presented Palmer with its highest honor, the Medal of Valor, as well as a retirement award and a colonel’s coin.

“Today is bittersweet,” said Colonel Tom Butler “On the one hand, we’re incredibly thrilled and grateful to have Wade here and are amazed at his progress. On the other hand, no one wants to see a career cut short due to injury,” he added.

“Wade’s road to recovery has been a remarkable lesson in faith and perseverance for all Montanans,” Attorney General Tim Fox said. “The safety and blessings we enjoy today are made possible by the courage and sacrifice of first responders like Wade. On behalf of the Montana Department of Justice, we wish the Palmer family the very best as they focus on continued healing during this next chapter of their lives,” Fox added.

In his retirement, Trooper Palmer plans to continue to focus his energy on his rehabilitation and spending time with his family. He continues to see progress in his recovery efforts, though more work remains due to the severity of his injuries.

Trooper Palmer and his family extend their gratitude to everyone who supported them throughout this journey. They humbly request continued privacy as they move forward in healing and adjusting to their new reality.

On March 15, 2019, Palmer was shot in the neck, face, and head, after locating the suspect involved in an earlier shooting that injured two and killed one in Missoula. He was transported to Saint Patrick Hospital in critical condition and eventually flown to Salt Lake City to receive Level I trauma care. He returned home to Missoula on May 22, 2019, where he continued to receive outpatient treatment. On June 26, 2020, Jonathan Bertsch pled guilty to the shootings. He will be sentenced in August.