Bismarck Tribune - Bismarck News - Mandan police chief finalists named

Mandan police chief finalists named

Aug 29, 2007 - 04:04:37 CDT

By JENNY MICHAEL
Bismarck Tribune

The finalists in the running for Mandan police chief include two Mandan officers, two with experience in the New York Police Department, a man who has served as chief for three departments and a former lieutenant from a police department in Illinois.

The six finalists have until Friday to respond in writing to a series of 18 questions, and a committee will review the responses to determine which candidates will be interviewed for the position. The city plans to hold interviews in mid-September.

Acting Mandan Police Chief Dennis Bullinger and Lt. Paul Leingang are two of six finalists for the position.

Bullinger, who has been with the Mandan Police Department since 1973, has been the department's deputy chief since 1986. He has a bachelor's degree in management from the University of Mary and has been serving as the interim chief since former chief Dennis Rohr's retirement in March.

Leingang has been in law enforcement for 27 years and has a bachelor's degree in management from the University of Mary. He currently supervises detectives and the youth services division.

Other finalists for the position come from New York, New Jersey, Texas and Illinois.

Nick Basso, of Garwood, N.J., is retired from the New York City Police Department and has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from St. John's University. During 20 years with the department, Basso served as a patrol officer, a sergeant and a lieutenant in the department, and he was the Patrol Borough Staten Island liaison to department headquarters during the World Trade Center disaster.

Robert Circle, who has 32 years of law enforcement experience, has served as chief of police in Texas City, Texas; Dodge City, Kan.; and Maize, Kan. He also was the executive assistant to the chief of police in Wichita, Kan. Circle has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice administration from Wichita State University and has recently worked as a consultant for the U.S. Department of State at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

Ralph DelSardo, of Massapequa, N.Y., is retired from the New York City Police Department and has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Empire State College, a State University of New York. DelSardo worked in the department for 22 years, and his last position was as a lieutenant in the community affairs bureau, youth services section. He currently works as director of security for Professional Security Consultants in Bay Shore, N.Y.

Christian Jauch Jr. has 30 years of law enforcement experience and recently retired from the Peru, Ill., Police Department. Jauch is in the process of completing a bachelor's degree through Governor's State University. He most recently served in the department as a lieutenant shift commander with responsibility for the department's computer network, grant administration and 911 systems. Before 2007, he was an administrative assistant to the chief of police.

(Reach reporter Jenny Michael at 250-8225 or jenny.michael@;bismarcktribune.com.)

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Comments

Get the right chief wrote on Aug 30, 2007 10:13 PM:

" From the choices in this artical I would have to say the out of state finalists seem too have more experience then the two Mandan finalists. So please make the right choice for Mandan. My vote give a new name to the Mandan Police force. "

Jo Ann Koch wrote on Aug 30, 2007 7:46 PM:

" I worked for Mandan PD 1976-2001 Leingang was a dog catcher, Bullinger was following Hugo Ternes around looking for a promtion. Grant it it was HMMMM over 25 years ago. But new blood and fresh outlooks are needed. The same old same old, is stale and very predictable, Not just in this job but in any job like this. Why hire within and have business as usual keep going. I admire the process you are going through to get the right person to do the job. may the best canidate win. And be accepted by all. "

Pros and Cons: wrote on Aug 30, 2007 1:18 AM:

" Hiring from out of state can be good, it does bring new ideas and breaks away from a familiar routine. Chief Rohr was a fine example of great leadership from one hired from out of state. However, there is something to be said for familiarity of operations, and continuity in service when hiring from within. That removes the "breaking in" of a new person and the standard opposition by the staff to any changes. Whatever is decided, Mandan will have an efficient and adequate chief. With so many being well qualified, it will be a difficult decision to make. By the way, there, Huh?, although I think Sevart is a fine man and probably would have made a great chief, as all the remaining candidates would, how do you know he is more qualified? Have you read the applications of all the applicants, or interviewed them or researched what kind of duties and accomplishments they have? I don't think it is fair to discount all the others, because I am pretty sure they have fine credentials to be considered in the final lap. I am not on the hiring board, so I will accept whoever is appointed, because all I know about any of them is what is in the paper. Whoever is picked, even if it isn't the one of our choice, we need to support that person and the PD in their new leadership, that's all I'm saying. This decision will not be an easy one. "

Change is good wrote on Aug 29, 2007 10:47 PM:

" Mandan could use some new blood, someone with no connections to the good old boys club. Maybe that is why Mandan has such a high turnover in this department. Someone new to get us going in a better direction. "

bring in someone new. wrote on Aug 29, 2007 3:44 PM:

" to Huh, it is easier for people in this state, in the law, to advance up, since the turnover is greater. In bigger states/more populated, there are more officers, so going up 'the ladder' doesn't happen as frequently as here. Just something to ponder. "

I wonder wrote on Aug 29, 2007 12:46 PM:

" I am wondering why Sevart is not being considered anymore for the Bismarck Police Chief job either. He was up for both Bismarck and Mandan positions and not in the running for either of them. I don't know if it was because of the controversy or what, but perhaps this needs to be looked at as a likelihood of him not being the best one for the job. "

To "Get Over it Steve" wrote on Aug 29, 2007 11:36 AM:

" First of all, my name is not Steve. Secondly, I am a female. I follow closely the governmental functions of this city and am not impressed by some of the politics or for that matter, your ignorance. When I see a well-qualified officer in our community not given an opportunity to interview for a position in which he appears to have greater potential than some of the other candidates, I am greatly disappointed and puzzled. Some of the candidates are retired. Is this what we're looking for? Don't we want an individual who, rather than being retired, is looking at a long-standing future with the city of Mandan? "

to current POT wrote on Aug 29, 2007 10:20 AM:

" Bringing in an outsider could be a mistake too. Look at the mess WSI has with those from OHIO. Does everyone think that those from out of state have been anointed as "Saviors" when it looks to me like we have qualified individuals within our State who understand the issues we face when protecting our communities. You also run the risk of those outsiders not adjusting to the ND way of life and leave after a few years! Hire someone local...you know what you're getting and they will stick around!! I could answer those questions by telling the commissioners "what they want to hear" not what my real beliefs and experiences are and get the job...and i'm not in law enforcement!! "

Get Over it Steve! "HUH?" wrote on Aug 29, 2007 10:16 AM:

" Humm.......well respected give me a break! The guy can't even stay awake during a 20 min meeting,but thanks for your comment Steve B. "

Police Man wrote on Aug 29, 2007 9:49 AM:

" I think Bismarck and Mandan need to look outside the state for a fresh look at Police work. The out of state canidates have worked with police departments that have thousands of employees and high quality training. Here in North Dakota our largest Police Department is the Highway Patrol that employes just over a hundred officers. Our Police Academys are a joke compared to something like New York City or any major metro area. We need outsiders experience and diversity if we want to keep crime low as our communitys grow. Good Luck, Men. "

confused wrote on Aug 29, 2007 9:30 AM:

" Why is this taking so long? Shouldn't this be a shoe-in for Bullinger - he has been the acting police chief since March. What is the problem? "

Current POT wrote on Aug 29, 2007 9:02 AM:

" Bringing in an out of stater might be a good idea, new blood=new ideas "

HUH? wrote on Aug 29, 2007 7:34 AM:

" I was quite surprised when I read the list of finalists this morning in the paper. Two candidates are from Mandan Police Dept. and the remaining 4 from out of state. Wasn't Nick Sevart of the Burleigh County Sheriff's Dept. on the long list of candidates also? He is well-known and respected in this community, was a major for the sheriff's dept. and, a lieutenant for the Bismarck Police Dept. (if I'm correct) for over 20 years with much education. Out of staters Basso, DelSardo, and Jauch all have only a lieutenant title and not outstanding education while Leingang from Mandan supervises detectives and youth services. Sevart would have done these duties as a major - and much more. Can you tell me, Mandan City Commissioners, why Sevart isn't part of this list when he is more qualified for such a position than several of these others? "

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