HomeMy WebLinkAboutHistory of the Bozeman Police Dept_Chapter 12
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Chanter 12
Bozeman Police Department
Chief s of Police
Serving Since April 1Z, 1883
With the establishment of the Bozeman Police Department on April 12, 1883,
annual elections were held in April of each year for the next ten years for the purpose of
electing a City Mazshall. In 1893, the Bozeman City Council passed an Ordinance
which authorized the Mayor to annually appoint a Chief of Police. This one year
appointment was extended to a three yeaz appointment in 1895.
Since the beginning of the Bozeman Police Department in 1$83, five City
' Mazshall's were elected by popular vote and thirty-one Chiefs ofPalice were appointed
by the Mayor, an later this appointment was made by the City Manager. It is interesting
to note that John Robertson was elected City Mazshall in 1891 and later was appointed as
' Bowman's Chief of Police on four different occasions. The years that he received
appointments were 1894, 1901, 1916 and 1922.
' In today's standard, most cities require a certain level of law enforcement
experience and educational requirements for potential applicants to be eligible to apply
for the position of Chief of Police. In Montana, a Police Officer must attend and
successfully complete the Montana Law Enforcement Academy's Basic School within
the first year of employment. The Chief of Police is a Police Officer and must be able to
' perform the same functions of those under his command. These requirements eliminates
a lot of candidates who have no law enforcement experience which is goad for law
enforcement in Montana.
' Several of the Chief s of Police in the early history of Bozeman had no prior law
enforcement experience. Some were business owners, some were salesmen, and some
' were ranchers.
From the years 1925 through 1937, it was difficult to determine the exact dates
the Police Chief was appointed. However, the listed dates are believed to be correct.
City Marshall's
'
Jacob Oakwood 04-12-1883 04-07-1885
* elected - 2 terms
' A.P. Clark 04-OS-1885 04-03-1889
* elected - 4 terms
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' '
s -continued
City Marshall
' Bery F. Fridley 04-03-1889 04-0$-1890
* elected - 1 term
Berry King 04-08-1$90 04-07-1891
* elected - 1 term
John Robertson 04-07-1891 04-20-1893
' * elected - 2 terms
Chief s of Police
' John W. Ponsford 04-20-1893 OS-07-1894
John Robertson OS-07-1894 OS-06-1895
A.J. Edsall 05-06-1895 03-03-1897
D.W. MacKenzie 03-03-1897 05-02-1898
W.L. Lansing OS-02-1898 OS-07-1900
' T.M. Sipes OS-07-1900 OS-O6-1901
John Robertson 05-06-1901 05-06-1907
E.H. Williams OS-06-1907 OS-p2-1909
' John D. Werling OS-02-1909 05-01-1911
E.M. Reynolds OS-O1-1911 Dec. 1911
A.E. Westlake Jan. 1912 May 1915
' Fred Axtell May 1915 Sept. 1916
John Robertson 09-22-1916 Nov. 1921
James Smith Nov. 1921 Dec. 1921
' John Robertson Jan. 1922 08-10-1922
Robert O. Maupin 08-10-1922 1925
J.F. Metheny 1925 1927
' H.E. Shipps 1927 1929
O.T. Barnes 1929 1933
Allen H. Sales 1933 1935
' Maurice E. Henderson 1935 09-10-1937
Roy C. Embry 1937 p5-04-1945
Albert N. Haas OS-OS-1945 07-10-1958
C.V. Saunders 07-11-1958 09-15-1966
B.G. Davis 09-16-1966 QS-23-1967
' C.R Cutting 05-24-1967 06-30-1970
Robert K. Johnson 07-01-1970 01-31-1976
William Nelson 01-26-1976 07-31-1978
' George R. Tate 03-01-1979 03-31-1990
Dick Boyer OS-01-1990 07-31-1994
James L. Conner 11-01-1994 01-31-1997
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Jacob Oakwoad's son was elected to the City Council and served from 1909
through 1916, representing voters in Ward 1.
D.W. MacKenzie was elected to the City Council and served from 1887 through
1889 and from 1896 through 1897, representing voters in Ward 2.
W.L. Lansing was elected to the City Council and served from 1894 through
1896, representing voters in Ward 2.
A.E. Westlake was elected to the City Council and served from 1920 through
1921.
Due to the death of the previous City Manager, Maurice E. Henderson was
appointed temporary City Manager by the City Council on September 10, 1937. On
October 22, 1937 this appointment was made permanent and Hendersan's salary was set
at $3000.00 per year. Maurice Henderson served as Bazeman's City Manager until 1940.
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