North Dakota Highway Patrol
Encyclopedia
The North Dakota State Highway Patrol is the state patrol agency for the state of North Dakota
. It was established in 1935 by the North Dakota Legislative Assembly
.
North Dakota state troopers, when hired, attend the Law Enforcement Training Academy at Bismarck
. It is a 22-week program in which the recruits learn all peace officer standards and training as well as advanced traffic information.
Major activities of the State Patrol include: traffic enforcement, crash investigation, reporting road conditions, and enforcement of laws where state property is involved. A major duty of a North Dakota
state trooper is the ability to work independently and exercise good judgement accordingly. This may differ from other peace officer agencies where operations are teamwork oriented.
There are 4 newly-formed regions for the North Dakota Highway Patrol, which combine the former 8 districts:
Troopers work within their regions, however they have equal jurisdiction
throughout the state.
) Indian
who lived on his land near the Cannonball River
on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation
near Mandan, North Dakota
and who is famous for shooting Sitting Bull
in the head.
Red Tomahawk, a subchief, served as a government policeman helping to create order in a time of turbulence. He was considered a champion of his people, a noble American, and a just man. Today his profile reminds travelers of the first people to roam the plains.
The North Dakota Highway Patrol officially adopted the profile of Red Tomahawk as the patrol vehicle door emblem and department symbol in 1951.
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. It was established in 1935 by the North Dakota Legislative Assembly
North Dakota Legislative Assembly
The North Dakota Legislative Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Dakota. The Legislative Assembly consists of two chambers, the lower North Dakota House of Representatives, with 94 representatives, and the upper North Dakota Senate, with 47 senators...
.
North Dakota state troopers, when hired, attend the Law Enforcement Training Academy at Bismarck
Bismarck, North Dakota
Bismarck is the capital of the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Burleigh County. It is the second most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo. The city's population was 61,272 at the 2010 census, while its metropolitan population was 108,779...
. It is a 22-week program in which the recruits learn all peace officer standards and training as well as advanced traffic information.
Major activities of the State Patrol include: traffic enforcement, crash investigation, reporting road conditions, and enforcement of laws where state property is involved. A major duty of a North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
state trooper is the ability to work independently and exercise good judgement accordingly. This may differ from other peace officer agencies where operations are teamwork oriented.
Regions
- Northeast Region: Grand Forks and Devils Lake
- Southeast Region: Fargo and Jamestown
- Southwest Region: Bismarck and Dickinson
- Northwest Region: Minot and Williston
Troopers work within their regions, however they have equal jurisdiction
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
throughout the state.
Highway Patrol symbol
The North Dakota Highway Patrol symbol is a profile of Red Tomahawk, a Teton Dakotah (SiouxSioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
) Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
who lived on his land near the Cannonball River
Cannonball River
The Cannonball River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 135 mi long, in southwestern North Dakota in the United States....
on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation
Standing Rock Indian Reservation
The Standing Rock Indian Reservation is a Lakota, Yanktonai and Dakota Indian reservation in North Dakota and South Dakota in the United States...
near Mandan, North Dakota
Mandan, North Dakota
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,718 people, 6,647 households, and 4,553 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,642.8 per square mile . There were 6,958 housing units at an average density of 683.7 per square mile...
and who is famous for shooting Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull Sitting Bull Sitting Bull (Lakota: Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake (in Standard Lakota Orthography), also nicknamed Slon-he or "Slow"; (c. 1831 – December 15, 1890) was a Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux holy man who led his people as a tribal chief during years of resistance to United States government policies...
in the head.
Red Tomahawk, a subchief, served as a government policeman helping to create order in a time of turbulence. He was considered a champion of his people, a noble American, and a just man. Today his profile reminds travelers of the first people to roam the plains.
The North Dakota Highway Patrol officially adopted the profile of Red Tomahawk as the patrol vehicle door emblem and department symbol in 1951.
Superintendents of the North Dakota Highway Patrol
| # | Name | Term |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frank Putman | 1935–1937 |
| 2 | H.G. Lund | 1937–1938 |
| 3 | Archie O’Connor | 1939 |
| 4 | Frank Putman | 1939–1941 |
| 5 | John Jeffery | 1941–1943 |
| 6 | E.M. Klein | 1943–1953 |
| 7 | Clark J. Monroe | 1953–1961 |
| 8 | Ralph M. Wood | 1961–1978 |
| 9 | James D. Martin | 1978–1981 |
| 10 | Norman D. Evans | 1981–1985 |
| 11 | Brian C. Berg | 1985–1992 |
| 12 | James M. Hughes | 1993–2003 |
| 13 | Bryan R. Klipfel Bryan R. Klipfel Col. Bryan R. Klipfel was the superintendent of the North Dakota Highway Patrol from 2003-2007 and is a native of Ashley, North Dakota. He has been a member of the highway patrol since 1980. He is a graduate of the University of North Dakota and of the FBI National Academy in Quantico,... |
2003– 2007 |
| 14 | Mark Nelson Mark Nelson (North Dakota) Col. Mark A. Nelson is the superintendent of the North Dakota Highway Patrol and is a native of St. James, Minnesota. He has been a member of the highway patrol since 1981 and is a graduate of the Northwestern University Traffic Institute's School of Police Staff and Command and Park University ... |
2007–2009 |
| 15 | James Prochniak | 2009– |
Fallen officers
Since the organization was established, only one North Dakota Highway Patrol officer has died in the line of duty.| Officer | Date of Death | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Patrolman Beryl E. McLane | Friday, July 30, 1954 | Vehicular assault |
See also
- List of law enforcement agencies in North Dakota
- State policeState policeState police are a type of sub-national territorial police force, particularly in Australia and the United States. Some other countries have analogous police forces, such as the provincial police in some Canadian provinces, while in other places, the same responsibilities are held by national...
- Highway patrolHighway patrolA highway patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primarily concerned with such duties.Duties of highway patrols or traffic...