HELENA – Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced today that submissions are open for the 2023 Montana Law Enforcement Appreciation Poster Contest. Elementary school students across Montana are invited to submit artwork showing appreciation for Montana law enforcement officers who risk their lives every day to keep our communities safe.

This year’s contest is dedicated to Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Lewis Johnson who was injured in the line of duty on February 16, while apprehending a suspect. During the incident, Trooper Johnson was run over by the suspect and sustained serious injuries. He has been a trooper with the Highway Patrol for eight years and is stationed in Eureka.

The contest is a partnership between the Attorney General’s Office and Montana Highway Patrol.

“I encourage every elementary school student in Montana to show their support of our officers and their artistic skills in our law enforcement appreciation poster contest. We must instill in young Montanans the importance of backing the blue, and this contest is a great opportunity to do that,” Attorney General Austin Knudsen said. “The recent senseless attack on Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Lewis Johnson was a sobering reminder of the dangers our brave men and women in law enforcement face every day. Our law enforcement heroes are the best of the best, and as long as I’m Montana’s Attorney General, I will do everything I can to honor and support them.”

“The law enforcement appreciation poster contest is a great opportunity for young people to show their support of Trooper Lewis Johnson and Montana’s law enforcement community at large,” MHP Colonel Steve Lavin said. “The troopers and I really enjoyed meeting with the kids around the state last year, and we’re looking forward to this year’s contest.”

Last year’s winning poster drawn by Charlie Heitzman, of Lewistown.

A regional winner will be chosen from each of the eight Montana Highway Patrol districts and awarded an ice cream social for their class delivered by the Montana Department of Justice.

From the regional winners, a statewide winner will celebrate with Attorney General Knudsen, MHP Colonel Steve Lavin, and local law enforcement during National Police Week in May. The winner will also have the opportunity to ride along with Col. Lavin. The winning poster will be displayed in MHP offices and made available to law enforcement offices across the state.

Contest rules:

1. Applicants must be in elementary school.
2. Artwork should reflect why the student appreciates law enforcement.
3. Artwork that has been digitally produced is not allowed. Artwork should be created using acrylics, watercolor, pencils, charcoal, markers, crayons, pastels, or others.
4. The preferred size for posters is 8.5 x 14 inches. Submissions that are 8.5×11 and 11×17 will also be allowed.
5. To complete the submission, the applicant must also include a brief biography and a completed application.

Applications must include the original artwork, contest application, and release form and should be mailed to the Attorney General’s Office to the attention of the Law Enforcement Poster Contest at 215 N. Sanders, Helena, MT 59601. Applications and artwork must be received by April 15 and winners will be notified April 28.

Click here to download the application.

Click here for Attorney General Knudsen’s message encouraging elementary school students to participate in the contest.