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Chiefs and sheriffs tell committee repeat offenders and transition-center rules strain local resources
Summary
Police chiefs and county sheriffs told the Judiciary Interim Committee that a small group of repeat offenders consumes disproportionate investigative time and jail capacity; witnesses urged better reporting on release notifications and clearer rules for transition centers and supervision.
Local law enforcement officials told the Judiciary Interim Committee that repeat offenders and supervision practices are imposing significant time and cost burdens on city and county public safety operations.
Jason Ziegler, chief of the Mandan Police Department, said investigations typically require 10–15 hours of officer time for basic cases and 30–50 hours for complex crimes. He described a 2022 murder case in Mandan whose suspect had accumulated "29 pages of criminal history" and asked legislators why that person was free to commit a violent crime near a school. "That victims seem not to be heard," Ziegler said, adding that victims often decline to cooperate for fear of retaliation.
Chief Stugelmeyer of the Bismarck Police Department urged better coordination with transition centers after recounting an incident in which officers attempting to take a person with an extraditable warrant were blocked by staff at a local transition center. Stugelmeyer encouraged the committee to consider who should be eligible for transition centers and how soon after release individuals should be placed there.
Sheriff Jesse Johnner of Cass County supplied raw counts from local jail bookings to illustrate the supervision burden: "There was a total of 168 separate bookings that had a pro violation," he said for the period 01/01/2024 through 12/17/2025. He added that some bookings included new charges as well as parole/probation violations and that average days held varied; he said county facilities and rural enforcement capacities are stressed.
Lawmakers asked chiefs and the sheriff for sample documents used in day-to-day operations. Chief Ziegler agreed to provide a recent "commander's report" and "watch list" sample so the committee can see how agencies track repeat names and incidents. Several committee members also raised the prospect of requiring better release-notification procedures so local departments know when people leave state custody and where they are assigned in the community.
The testimony underscored competing policy goals: local officers and sheriffs urged accountability and clearer custodial rules, while other witnesses emphasized rehabilitation and data-driven supervision. Committee members asked staff to collect the operational reports and jail statistics provided by witnesses for further review before drafting policy options.
