Timeline
1935 -- ORGANIZATION OF HIGHWAY PATROL
The North Dakota Highway Patrol was created by the 1935
Legislative Assembly when that body gave the State Highway
Commissioner, with the consent of the Governor, authority
to appoint a State Highway Patrol Superintendent and
an Assistant Highway Patrol Superintendent.
1936 -- FIRST PATROL - FIVE PATROLMEN
The State Highway Patrol Superintendent was then authorized
and empowered to appoint not more than ten persons to
constitute such State Highway Patrol and to be known
as "Highway Police." However, at this time,
there were only five men appointed. It was their duty
to enforce the provisions of the laws of the state of
North Dakota relating to the protection and use of the
public highways in the state, and the operation of motor
and other vehicles upon said highways. These highway
patrolmen were vested with all the powers and the performance
of duties held and performed by peace officers in the
state of North Dakota, and the jurisdiction of such
officers extended throughout the state.
1936 -- INCREASE TO EIGHT PATROLMEN
During the year 1936, three additional men were added
to the regular staff, bringing the staff total to eight.
1937 -- INCREASE TO TWELVE PATROLMEN
In 1937 the staff was increased to twelve patrolmen,
including the Superintendent, which filled the quota
allowed by the 1935 Legislative Assembly.
1941 -- ADDITIONAL INCREASE AUTHORIZED TO TWENTY PATROLMEN
The 1941 Legislative Assembly authorized the Patrol
to be increased to twenty men, including the Superintendent
and Assistant Superintendent.
1947 -- INCREASE TO FORTY-TWO PATROLMEN
The authorized strength of the Patrol was increased
to forty-two uniformed officers.
1947 -- DRIVER'S EXAMINATIONS
This year, also, the law was passed making it
necessary for all new drivers to take a driver's examination
and the responsibility to conduct these examinations
fell on the shoulders of the Highway Patrol. Examinations
were scheduled and were given throughout the state at
strategic places once or twice a month. These examinations
included a test of the applicant's eyesight; his ability
to read and understand highway signs regulating, warning,
and directing traffic; his knowledge of the traffic
laws of this state; and an actual demonstration of the
ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control
in the operation of a motor vehicle.
1951 -- HIGHWAY PATROL DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE TO THE GOVERNOR
The 1951 Legislature gave the power of appointment of
the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent directly
to the Governor. It was also mandated each patrolman
be bonded by the state and each carry a badge of authority
"with the seal of the state in the center thereof;"
the words "North Dakota Highway Patrol" emblazoned
around the border.
1955 -- INCREASE TO FIFTY-ONE PATROLMEN
The 1955 Legislature authorized an additional increase
in the Patrol, and after comprehensive written and oral
examinations were given to approximately one hundred
fifty applicants, nine new men were selected as patrolmen
and reported for duty 1 July 1955.
1955 -- STATE DIVIDED INTO DISTRICTS AND SERGEANTS APPOINTED
The 1955 Legislative Assembly gave the Superintendent
of the Highway Patrol power to set up districts as he
deemed necessary and to designate ranks lower than Assistant
Superintendent. Subsequently, the state was divided
into eight districts and a Sergeant appointed to supervise
the work of the men in each district. This has proved
invaluable in coordinating work of the men in the field
and the state officers.
1957 -- INCREASE TO SIXTY-EIGHT PATROLMEN
The 1957 Legislature granted an increase to seventeen
men to the Patrol, thereby making the total strength
sixty-eight. Five of these officers were provided when
the department was given the additional responsibility
of enforcing Public Service Commission regulations.
1959 -- INCREASE TO SEVENTY-EIGHT PATROLMEN
The 1959 Legislature authorized an additional ten patrolmen
resulting in a departmental total of seventy-eight sworn
uniformed officers.
1961 -- PROPERTY OFFICER APPOINTED TO STAFF
In addition to the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent,
the position of Property Officer was added to the department
staff.
1963 -- INCREASE TO EIGHTY PATROLMEN
·Two men were added to the department with the
creation of the Public Safety Division. The staff position
of Safety Director was created, and this brought to
eighty the number of sworn personnel on the department.
·District Commanders were elevated to the rank
of Captain, and Sergeants were created to serve as their
assistants.
1964 -- DRIVER LICENSE EXAMINER AND TRAINING OFFICER APPOINTED
·The positions of Driver License Examiner and
Training Officer were created and added to the department
staff.
·The Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent
were given the rank of Colonel and Major respectively.
1965 -- OPERATIONS OFFICER ADDED TO THE STAFF
·The authority of the Highway Patrol was expanded
to include the enforcement of criminal laws at all state
institutions.
·Female employees were authorized to serve in each of the eight district
offices as clerks.
·The position of Operations Officer was added
to the department staff, and the positions of Driver
Licensing Examiner and Property Officer were abolished.
1966 -- OPERATIONS AND TRAINING OFFICER ADDED TO THE DEPARTMENT
The position of Operations and Training Officer was
added to the department staff, and the existing Operations
Officer and Training Officers were made his assistants.
1967 -- DEPARTMENT EXPANDED TO ENFORCE ALL CRIMINAL LAWS
Department authority was expanded to include the enforcement
of all criminal laws on highway right-of-ways.
1969 -- COMMERCIAL DRIVER TRAINING SCHOOLS BECOME RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PATROL
The Patrol was given the responsibility of regulating
all Commercial Driver Training Schools in the state.
1970 -- DISTRICT BOUNDARIES REORGANIZED
·The department reorganized district boundaries
to conform with the Governor's regionalization requirements.
·The Assistant Superintendent and the Operations
and Training Officers were elevated to the ranks of
Lieutenant Colonel and Major respectively.
1971 -- DEPARTMENT MADE RESPONSIBLE
FOR OPERATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING CENTER
Responsibilities were expanded to include the operation
of the Law Enforcement Training Center. Seventeen training
programs were offered at the new facility during the
first year of operation.
1973 -- INCREASE TO EIGHTY-TWO
PATROLMEN
The Legislature authorized a total of eighty-two Highway
Patrol officers. The hiring of the additional officers
was predicated on enforcement of Public Service Commission
rules and regulations.
1975 -- INCREASE TO NINETY-FIVE
PATROLMEN
After completing a special Selective Traffic Enforcement
Program which consisted of thirteen patrol officers
which was funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, the Legislature authorized the Patrol
to increase its strength.
1978 -- INCREASE TO ONE HUNDRED
TWO PATROLMEN
The Patrol was authorized to hire an additional seven
officers to enforce the 55 miles per hour speed limit.
National Traffic Highway Safety Administration funded
this program for three years.
1982 -- CIVILIAN DRIVER LICENSE
EXAMINERS HIRED
Effective 1 May 1982 the North Dakota Highway Patrol
relinquished primary responsibility for the administration
of driver license examining. Renewal, written, and road
test was changed to an instant issue under the supervision
of the Highway Patrol. Although the Chief Driver License
Examiner was a uniformed staff officer, the field examiners
were civilian personnel.
1983 -- HIGHWAY PATROL AND TRUCK
REGULATORY MERGER
Effective 1 July 1983 Truck Regulatory employees were
reclassified as Highway Patrol personnel. Uniformed
officers would have the powers of a peace officer after
mandated training and being sworn. This brought the
Highway Patrol's total authorized strength to 125 sworn
officers.
·The Patrol adopted the Motor Carrier Safety
Assistance Program (MCSAP). The safety regulations relate
to commercial motor carriers.
1985 -- HIGHWAY PATROL CELEBRATES
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY
Several functions were conducted in 1985 in celebration
of the department's Golden Anniversary. Patrol cars
were equipped with distinctive license plates; billboards
were posted around the state with a safety message in
conjunction with identifying the fiftieth year; open
house was held at the district offices; and a departmental
banquet was held in Bismarck 14 September with current
members and many former members of the Patrol in attendance.
1987 -- DRIVER'S EXAMINATION
RESPONSIBILITY REMOVED FROM THE PATROL
Although the Patrol hadn't formally been giving
driver's license written or road tests since 1982, legislation
was enacted removing this responsibility from the Patrol
and placing it under the power and jurisdiction of the
Highway Commissioner.
1989 -- HIGHWAY PATROL RECEIVES
NATIONAL ACCREDITATION STATUS
The North Dakota Highway Patrol was successful in attaining
national accreditation status from the Commission of
Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies on 29 July
1989. The North Dakota Highway Patrol became the first
law enforcement agency in the state of North Dakota
to become accredited; also the eighth state agency and
the 109th national agency to receive this status.
1991 -- PLANNING AND RESEARCH
OFFICER ADDED TO STAFF
The position of Planning and Research Officer was added
to the department staff.
1992 -- HIGHWAY PATROL ADDS
CANINE UNIT TO FORCE
The Highway Patrol added its first canine unit to the
force. The 1 ½-year-old German shepherd, Shadow,
and his handler work out of Linton, ND. Shadow is trained
to protect his handler, apprehend people, search buildings
and areas, look for evidence, and track. Shadow's assistance
is available to other law enforcement agencies and the
general public for humanitarian reasons.
1992 -- TWO CAPITOL SECURITY
OFFICERS ADDED
The Highway Patrol added two Capitol Security officers
to assist with enforcement on the Capitol Grounds and
to provide security for the Supreme Court and the Legislative
Session.
1994 -- HIGHWAY PATROL RESTRUCTURES
ORGANIZATION
Effective January 1, 1994, the North Dakota Highway
Patrol reorganized. The department went from an organizational
structure consisting of eight districts to five districts.
Each district is overseen by a district commander.
1995 -- INCREASE TO ONE HUNDRED
TWENTY-SEVEN PATROLMEN
With the North Dakota Highway Patrol participating in
the federal COPS Ahead Program, we were authorized to
increase our sworn officer strength by three giving
us total authorization of one hundred twenty-seven sworn
officers.
1995 -- LOW TRAFFIC FATALITY
RATE
The North Dakota Highway Patrol initiated a special
project, "North Dakota 88 Shutdown," in an
attempt to keep traffic fatalities below the 88 recorded
in 1994. This project involved all law enforcement agencies
in the state. Success was met with North Dakota recording
74 traffic fatalities, the fourth lowest death toll
for our state.
1996 -- INCREASE TO THREE CANINE
UNITS
Two canine units were added to the force. Both canines
are German shepherds. Thor and his handler work out
of Minot. Chase and his handler work out of Hillsboro.
The Patrol's three canine units play an important role
in the Highway Criminal Interdiction Program.
1997 -- INCREASE TO ONE HUNDRED
THIRTY-TWO SWORN OFFICERS
The Patrol was authorized to increase the sworn officer
strength by five. This brought the total authorization
of sworn officers to one hundred thirty-two.
1999 -- MOBILE DATA COMMUNICATIONS
SYSTEM
What had been a detailed, four-year planning process
involving leadership from the Governor's Office, approval
of the Legislative Assembly, and citizen support became
a reality. Sixty-five (65) patrol vehicles were equipped
with a high-tech Mobile Data Communications System.
The system utilizes a laptop in a wireless environment
with the aid of ten tower sites located statewide. The
efficiency of this system is recognized through enhanced
officer safety, improved communications, reduced data
entry/improved data handling efficiency, and reduced
dispatcher workload.
2000 -- HIGHWAY PATROL RESTRUCTURES
ORGANIZATION
Effective 1 March 2000, the North Dakota Highway Patrol returned to
an organizational structure consisting of eight districts. Each district
is headed by a district commander.
2000 -- SOBRIETY CHECKPOINTS
In May, the agency held its first sobriety checkpoint. The checkpoints
were initiated in an effort to reduct impaired driving and make highways
safer.
2001 -- MOBILE DATA COMMUNICATIONS
SYSTEM
The Patrol moved into Phast II of the mobile data computer
project. This phase included the installation of an
additional 20 systems giving us a total of 95 vehicles
equipped with this technology. Five additional tower
sites were also included in this phase of the project.
2002 -- E-PERMITS
The Patrol continued to increase its use of electronic technology
with the implementation of the E-Permits Application Phase I project.
Several types of commercial vehicle permits for the motor carrier
industry (fuel, trip, longer vehicle combination, 10% weight exemption
for harvest and wintertime, resident custom combine) became available
to anyone with internet access.
2003 -- INCREASE TO ONE HUNDRED
THIRTY-FIVE SWORN OFFICERS
The Patrol was authorized to increase the sworn officer strength by
three. This brought the total authorization of sworn officers to one
hundred thirty-five.
2003 -- INCREASE TO SIX CANINE
UNITS
The NDHP added four canines to the department in May of this year:
two male Black Labs named Tyson (Devils Lake) and Smoke (Bismarck),
one male Chocolate Lab named JJ (Fargo), and one female Yellow Lab
named Bailey (Williston). All of our canines are dual purpose meaning
they are trained for narcotics detection, article searching and tracking.
Three of the department's prior canines are no longer with the department:
Shadow was retired for medical reasons and was replaced with Ricco
(Linton), a male Belgium Malinois. Ricco is also certified for aggression
and is the only aggression canine in our department. Thor was also
retired this year due to medical reasons and was replaced by a female
Yellow Lab named Sierra (Minot). Chase and his handler are no longer
with the department.
2003 -- WEIGH IN MOTION (WIM)
Weigh-in-motion technology is literally a process of screening out legal
weight trucks subjecting only potentially overweight trucks to further weighing
on portable or fixed scales. Data on vehicle weights is instantaneously made
available to troopers through mobile data computers located in their patrol vehicle.
This technology was used at four sites on some of North Dakota's major highways.
The use of WIM is a joint venture between the NDHP and the NDDOT.
2003 -- AMBER ALERT PLAN
On 30 August 2002, Governor John Hoeven issued Executive Order 2002-06
directing the superintendent of the NDHP, in cooperation with the
Division of Emergency Management and other state agencies, local law
enforcement and broadcasters, to develop policies and procedures for
child abduction incidents. Full implementation of the plan began in
February 2003.
2004 -- FIRST FEMALE PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN
The North Dakota Highway Patrol promoted its first female to rank
of Captain on April 8, 2004. With the promotion, Captain Lori Malafa
was assigned as the Training Director at the Law Enforcement Training
Academy in Bismarck. Captain Malafa was also the first female to be
promoted to Sergeant.
2004 -- INCREASE TO NINE CANINE UNITS
In April the NDHP canine program was expanded to include three additional
canines and handlers bringing our total to nine teams.
2005 -- OPERATION BORDER SHIELD
Operation Border Shield was developed to assist the US Custom Border Protection
and US Border Patrol in the security of the northern border. The program targets
the ports of entry and is aimed at the detection and apprehension of criminals
and contraband through the use of NDHP canine teams. Troopers and canines
assisted teh Immigrations and Customs Enforcement personnel in searching
vehicles and persons during peak travel times identified by Custom Border
Protection officials.
2005 -- NDHP RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL SECURITY AT THE STATE CAPITOL
In 2005 all security duties for the capitol were placed under the direction of
the Highway Patrol. A Director of Security was appointed with four full-time
and four part-time employees assigned to the capitol security function. A new
duress alarm system was installed in the Capitol and surrounding state office
buildings as well as additional video cameras. In July Capitol Security equipped
a Smith and Wesson Tactical Mountain bike with lights and a siren for special events
and general security patrolling during the summer months.
2007 -- INCREASE TO ONE HUNDRED FORTY SWORN OFFICERS
The Patrol was authorized to increase the sworn officer strength by two. This brought
the total authorization of sworn officers to one hundred forty. (In 2004 and 2006,
three authorized non-sworn positions were transferred to sworn positions.)
2007 -- NDHP RESTRUCTURES ORGANIZATION
The North Dakota Highway Patrol again made an organizational structure change. The
department went from eight districts to four regions with all eight of the form district
offices remaining in place. Each region is headed by an administrative commander and also
includes an operations commander. The reorganization also created a new Motor Carrier
Operations component which includes personnel involved with commerical motor vehicles.
2008 -- NDHP AIRPLANE UPGRADE
The Patrol purchased a 2007 Cessna T 206 airplane equipped with G1000 Garmin avionics and
infrared technology(FLIR). The airplane will be used to assist with search and rescue
operations; conduct aerial searches after natural and man-made disasters; assist ground
officers during pursuit operations; assist various state, local, and federal agencies;
transport department personnel; and other law enforcement functions.