Jason Stugelmeyer will become the next Bismarck police chief on Aug. 1. Stugelmeyer was recommended to the Bismarck City Commission by a hiring panel during its regular July 22 meeting in which the commission unanimously accepted the recommendation.
“Our community is extremely fortunate to have such a qualified person to head our police department. I’m looking forward to working with Chief Stugelmeyer as he ensures Bismarck remains a safe place to live and work,” said Commissioner John Risch, who holds the police portfolio. “I wholeheartedly supported the decision to select Jason as our next chief. I’ve worked with him this past year and he’s a seasoned professional with 24 years on the force. Whenever citizens have contacted me about questions or concerns, I’ve talked to Jason about those situations, and he has immediately addressed them.”
Stugelmeyer was promoted to Bismarck Police Department (BPD) deputy chief when Dave Draovitch moved from that position to chief of police in 2018 following the retirement of Dan Donlin. He has served various roles with BPD, including 15 years with the West Dakota SWAT Team and has been recognized as a three-time Badge of Hope winner, a two-time Meritorious Service Award recipient and named BPD Officer of the Year in 2007. Stugelmeyer is a 2000 graduate of the University of Minnesota-Moorhead with a bachelor‘s degree in criminal justice.
Following Draovitch’s May announcement of intention to retire, a search began for his successor. Seven individuals who applied for the position met the listed qualifications. From that pool, four candidates advanced to the accomplishment survey and in-basket testing. One candidate voluntarily removed themselves from this process prior to initiating the survey and testing. The two finalists, Stugelmeyer and University of North Dakota Patrol Commander Daniel Weigel, interviewed with the hiring committee on Thursday, July 17.
More information about the BPD is available online.