In the fall of 1891, the Great Northern Railroad began its new terminal shop complex. Bustling with a population of about 1000 employees, the town almost immediately attracted a large vice element that fed on the growing number of railroad workers, cowboys, soldiers and future coal miners. The frequent holdups, burglaries, assaults, armed combat and murders that happened almost monthly were physically confronted by only a town marshal, a night security officer and a Chouteau County township constable. 
Havre became an official city on Sept. 5, 1893, following the month’s election. P.J. McIntyre was elected the first town marshal. McIntyre was a civil engineer by profession who previously had been involved in the laying of the Manitoba-Great Northern railroad tracks to Fort Assiniboine.
McIntyre was succeeded as town marshal by Pete Gowrie, a railroad conductor who arrived in Bull Hook, aka Havre, in 1889. He brought his family with five daughters from Michigan the following year and they initially lived in a tent. He quit his law enforcement career to open a tailor shop, but died soon after. During Gowrie’s tenure, the two-story jail and counsel chambers were built on the corner of 1st Street and 3rd Avenue.
George Bickle took over in 1899. A former cowboy, he had operated at the last saloon at the notorious Army town of Cypress, located just outside the Fort Assiniboine military reservation at the confluence of Big Sandy Creek and the Milk River. While marshal, he doubled as sanitation officer, trying to keep dogs and garbage off the streets.
In 1902, newly elected Mayor William Swanton appointed Art White to the post, and William Chestnut served as his subordinate until Bickle returned and replaced him the following year. Little is known of White. He apparently was a Chicago Native and had brought his wife and child with him. He also belonged to the newly formed Havre Businessmens Association. The city fathers changed White’s title from town marshal to police chief and upgraded Chestnut from night watchman to night constable. Eric Thorsen resigned as township constable and White assumed those duties to, leaving only two policemen.
When Louis “Shorty” Newman was elected mayor in 1904, he brought Bickle back as chief. Newman apparently thought White had spent too much time at Shorty Young’s saloon, even though he was making up to 75 arrests a month. Bickle had arrested several suspects in the arson-originated Havre fire of 1904. As the head of Newman’s police force, he helped tame the town to James J. Hill’s satisfaction. A few of the worst saloons were put out of business, through head thumping and even the exchange of gunfire with their owners. On May 25th, 1904, the first and only member to date, of the Havre Police Department was murdered. Officer Fred Stevens was gunned down while on duty. Long George Francis was hired shortly after to replace Officer Stevens.
Bickle left the force in 1908, to become Choteau County Sheriff and was replaced by former officer William Chestnut. Chestnut was a rancher and also served on the fire department. Chestnut was replaced the following year by George Gilliam, who was a long time railroad engineer.
George Herron then assumed the job for the next four years. Herron’s other businesses included a dairy farm, part ownership of a livery barn and the Havre to Oldham stage lines with the Plaindealer newspaper. Herron was also a brand inspector in his free time. Herron resigned as police chief in 1914, to become a Hill County Deputy Sheriff.
Succeeding Herron was William McKinnon, who worked from time to time as a Great Northern fireman. McKinnon, along with the city-county officials, faced the wrath of the newly-elected State Attorney General Sam Ford. Ford vowed to wipe-out prostitution in Montana.
During the two separate court actions against County Attorney Victor Griggs, McKinnon vowed there was no crime in Havre, although testimony produced solid evidence of a large red light district. This puzzled the judge, but his honor didn’t pursue it. National Prohibition had begun by 1920, when GNR engineer Dave Osborne was selected as the next chief by Havre Mayor Al Ritt.
He had been a Havre police officer for seven years and his beat had been the notorious west end, encompassing the Honky Tonk, the red-light district and Chinatown. Considered one tough cop, “he would stand up to anyone and wouldn’t back down.” Osborne gave import testimony at the inquest of murdered bootlegger Jack Hardin.
Jimmy Moran followed Osborne in 1922, under mayors' George Bourne and William McKelvy. Moran, a former world featherweight and lightweight contender, hailed from New York state and later Minor, N.D. He and his wife had taken up a homestead south of Harlem. Moran witnessed the events that led up to the shooting death of Rev. Leonard Christler by Mrs. Frank Carlton, and her subsequent suicide; and he arrested Oakland Hotel owner, Tom Manaras, on drug possession charges. After Manaras was declared not guilty, Moran left for Minot, where he bartended and promoted prize fights.
Until his retirement in 1930, Dan McAlpine then held the job; he had homesteaded 800 acres north of town by Red Rock Coulee since 1914. Mcalpine was followed by GNR conductor William Merrill for the next two years.
When Dr. W.B. Rogers was elected mayor in 1932, he was declared chief of police between himself and the town council. No decision could be reached on any city appointees. First, John Lamey became chief; the following month Dave Turner had a turn, and finally, in a compromise, Adolph Pepin was sworn in.
Pepin had come to Havre in 1892 and had worked at various jobs with the Broadwater-Pepin Company. Recently, he had managed the grocery department of the Pioneer Meat Market. He died in March of 1934 from a combination of flu, heart and stroke problems brought on by a beating with a lead pipe he had suffered at the hands of a hobo.
Pepin’s replacement was officer Dan “Dennie” Wright. Besides being a GNR Brakeman-conductor, Wright served 19 years on the police force, but he died from natural causes after only six months as police chief.
In 1934, William Trudeau was appointed chief of police. Trudeau was a retired GNR conductor. It seemed the new chief couldn’t do anything right; the counsel dressed him down for allowing Shorty Young’s Chain Lake Inn to operate at all hours and he was suspended for leaving a shovel in the jail which was instrumental in a prisoner destroying the plumbing. He was also accused by fellow Police Officer, Carrol Herron, of releasing prisoners without authorization, plus other infractions. The counsel charged he “was only good for writing traffic tickets”. In 1936, Herron and Trudeau traded positions but it only lasted one year.
The new chief of police under Mayor W.E. McMaster was Leon “Bear Tracks” Davison, a policeman since 1932. Apparently bringing stability to the position not seen since George Bickle and George Herron, Davidson continued as chief until he left to serve briefly in World War II. While Davidson was on military leave, Assistant Chief Andy Wilson directed the force. Davidson stepped down as chief in 1947, when Harry Soderberg assumed the mayorship and appointed Virgil Mooney.
Under Mooney in 1948, the first radios were installed in the patrol cars. The first call concerned boys throwing rocks at the 700 block of Fifth Avenue and the boys were surprised at the police department’s quick appearance.
Previously, the dispatcher would have notified the patrolman of a call by activating signal lights situated above traffic lights through the downtown area. The officers would have then either returned to the station or used the nearest phone. This system continued to be used on graveyard shift for several years because of the lack of personnel to man the radio. That is, if the firemen heard the phone ring from the fire hall next door.
Mooney, a Havre native and ranch owner, had joined the force in 1941 and reigned as chief until 1963. After his term as police chief, Mooney served as a Hill County Deputy Sheriff and Davidson returned as chief until his retirement in 1967.
College-educated Navy veteran Charles Zartman next became chief; a police officer since 1950, Zartman stressed professionalism through academy-taught police science courses. He retired in 1972, just after the new city hall was built.
Kremlin native and former garage owner James Catt served the next five years. He further stressed academy training and upgraded the officers’ skills. Catt’s father-in-law was retired Assistant Chief Andy Wilson.
Next to assume the chief duties was Leland “Chris” Christopherson under Mayor Norris Hyatt. “Chris” established the police reserves with the help of Assistant Chief Wayne Brown; established a weapons range; and brought back the downtown “beat cop” on a limited basis.
Christopherson was succeeded in 1983 by Richard Stremcha. Assisted by a fellow Havre High School graduate, Mike Shortell, Stremcha was an effective, though low-key leader. He continued to stress police training and worked to revitalize the reserve program and worked to consolidate records and on confinement facilities with the county.
Stemcha was succeeded by Mike Shortell, who was appointed to Chief of Police in 1992. Chief Shortell maintained the position for 12 years, where he strove to improve the department and gained the community’s trust.
In 2000, Kevin Olson was appointed the Chief of Police and maintained the position until he moved on to a position with the Montana Law Enforcement Academy.
In April 2005, Mayor Bob Rice appointed Chief Mike Barthel. Chief Barthel worked to upgrade the police department’s records management system and worked to strengthen the working relationship with the Hill County Sheriff’s Office. Chief Barthel also purchased the first of seven new digital police radios that were issued to the officers, as well as installed in the patrol cars.
In January 2006, several area residents attended a meeting and decided to start hosting a fundraiser for Special Olympics Montana. The department spear headed the fundraiser and in the first year, raised an impressive $4,500. The second year raised approximately $21,500. Several agencies in the surrounding area participated in the event. The agencies included the FBI, Montana Probation and Parole, Montana Highway Patrol, United States Border Patrol, Chinook Police Department, Blaine County Sheriff's Office, Hill County Sheriff's Office, and the Hill County Attorney's Office. Since the start of the event, the police department has raised a total of approximately $47,000!
In May 2007, Chief Mike Barthel retired and took a position as an Adult Probation Officer in the Havre area. Chief Barthel continues to work with the local law enforcement. After Chief Barthel retired, Mayor Rice appointed Chief George Tate for a temporary appointment. Chief Tate took over the department and worked to better the departments relationship with the residents of the City of Havre. Chief Tate, while at the helm only a short time, contributed to the over all success of the department until his retirement in May 2008
During the week of September 28th, 2007, four of our officers attended a joint Honor Guard training with the United States Border Patrol. The training was conducted by the US Border Patrol Honor Guard Tucson Sector. Officers were taught how to conduct proper honor guard ceremonies. The Havre Honor Guard is utilized primarily for ceremony purposes only. These include, but are not limited to, posting of the colors, color guard, parades and specialty ceremonies. The police department also utilizes the Honor Guard for awarding certificates to retired members of the department as well as conducting presentations at retirement parties. Shown above from right to left is Lt. Russ Ostwalt, Sgt. Mike Labaty, Sgt. Nick Ost, Sgt. Derek Mahlum.
In May of 2008, Mayor Rice appointed Chief Jerry Nystrom to command and lead the police department. Chief Nystrom entered the position with several goals on his mind. Chief Nystrom has driven to increase the department’s work force as well as working to obtain better equipment for the department members. Chief Nystrom has worked hard to maintain a modern and professional police department. He has also transformed the department back to the traditional look and appearance by replacing four patrol cars in the fleet with the black and white paint scheme. Chief Nystrom also installed six new digital in-car cameras.
Through July 2009 and September 2009, Chief Nystrom began hiring several officers to replace the officers that have retired and moved on.
In May 2010, Chief Nystrom obtained and implemented Tasers, which are now utilized by the patrol division.
Chief Nystrom is currently in the process of making application for two grants. The first is for a computer-based firearms training simulator (F.A.T.S.), and the second is a COPS grant for an additional police officer to be added to the force.