A New Dean of North Dakota Sheriffs
Mountrail County Sheriff Ken G. Halvorson will replace long-time Wells County Sheriff Curtis Pellett. Pellett retired on January 7 due to ill health. The title Dean of Sheriffs is given to the Sheriff who holds the office of an elected sheriff for the longest period of time.
Sheriff Halvorson has served as law enforcement officer in Mountrail County for approximately 40 years, 4 years as Deputy and 36 as the elected Sheriff.
He started his career in law enforcement in the summer of 1974 with the City of Stanley, working as a patrolman under then Police Chief Ken Hill. In the fall of that year he began employment with the Mountrail County Sheriff’s Department as a Deputy Sheriff under then County Sheriff Ralph Hamre.
He was first elected Sheriff in 1978 and took office in 1979.
Halvorson graduated from Stanley High School in 1970. In the fall of 1970 he was inducted into the U.S .Army and graduated from the army’s basic training with honors. He served for two years as a Pershing Missile Specialist and was honorably discharged in 1972.
