Meet the new Chief
Meet the new Chief
Walgren hired to build NTPD
The steely-eyed stranger walked into my office and told me he was here to bring law and order to these parts. Actually, Art Walgren, talked about how excited he was to have the challenge of building a new police force in New Town and working with the Mountrail County Sheriff’s Department and Three Affiliated Tribes Police to make a smooth transition to city law enforcement.
New Town has had a contract for local law enforcement with the Mountrail County Sheriff’s Department for several years. Last fall the New Town City Council voted to discontinue that contract at the end of 2012 and reestablish a city police force. The city advertised the position in January and hired Walgren in April. He started work on May 15.
Walgren grew up in Minnesota in the Wadena and Bertha area. He received an Associate’s Degree in Law Enforcement from Willmar Community College in 1986 and started working in small towns in Minnesota, eventually becoming chief of police in Hendricks, Minn. in 1991. He then moved to Portland, Ore. and joined the police force there.
“I worked for the police force there for five years and the rain really began to grind on me,” Walgren said. “So I decided to start moving back this way.”
He joined the Boise, Idaho police force and then became assistant chief of police in Ronan, Mont., on the Flathead Indian Reservation.
“I felt Boise had gotten too big and wanted to get back to a simpler small town life,” Walgren said. “So my wife and I decided to try Montana and we’ve spent the last nine years there. Then this opportunity came along and it seemed like a wonderful opportunity to build something and help the community out. Plus, I get to be a little closer to my family.”
