Ready to be Chief | Video

Retha Colclasure | 1/18/2013

There`s a changing of the guard at the Bismarck police department this weekend. Deputy Chief Dan Donlin will become the department`s newest chief, taking over for the retiring Fred Wooten.

Donlin was born and raised in Bismarck and had several family members who worked in law enforcement. Despite that, he never planned on being a police officer. Instead, he was going to use his business degree and go into sales. "I kept feeling pulled back to law enforcement," he said.

So in 1988, he joined the department as a patrol officer. He then began working his way up the ranks, eventually working in both the detective and patrol divisions and leading the Police Youth Bureau. He was also a member of the West Dakota SWAT team for 15 years.

Donlin says all of that experience will help him in his new job as chief. "Having the vast experience in different areas of the department gives you a big picture as to what`s going on. All the little cogs that make this department function."

He says as chief, he wants to do what he can to make sure the department continues to serve the community. And he has a goal to continue to cut down the rate of domestic violence. He also sees several challenges ahead in a city with both population and traffic increases.

"I would like to see us increase the officer`s presence in the community. We are already taking a step in that direction."

Donlin says another goal he has is to get the department fully staffed, an ongoing challenge.

When Donlin assumes the chief`s position, eight other officers will also move up the ranks. Donlin says several of them have already begun to transition to their new jobs.

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