Medora board adopts ordinance formalizing reserve officer program for marshal's office

Medora’s town board unanimously adopted Ordinance 2025‑5 on second reading, formalizing how reserve officers are authorized and trained for the marshal’s office.

The ordinance, introduced by the chair (S2) and explained by the town’s agency official who oversees the marshal’s office (S1), specifies program details including a cap on the number of reserve officers (discussed in the draft as six or no more than 20% of paid officers) and new field‑training requirements. “They’re gonna do 100 hours with a field training officer before they’re released on their own,” S1 said during the discussion, describing a one‑year probation period that also requires reserves to meet monthly minimums and complete the training sequence.

Board members pressed on the specifics of the cap and training. One member (S6) said the draft language may reflect earlier standards and volunteered to cross out outdated figures; another (S3) noted changes to the training hours were already circulated. The board agreed the revised document should reflect the 100‑hour field training requirement and the probation conditions described by S1.

At the meeting the chair moved to amend rules of procedure to allow the ordinance to proceed to a second reading that night; the motion passed. On second reading the board voted in favor and the chair announced the ordinance was approved.

The ordinance was described at the meeting as required by state statute for municipalities that authorize reserve officers. The board directed staff to finalize the ordinance text, print the final version for signatures and circulate the signed document once clerical checks are completed. No individual roll‑call votes were recorded in the transcript; the chair stated the vote as all in favor.