Belfield hires new police chief, deputy officer

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BELFIELD — The Belfield City Council hired Sidney Mann of Jamestown as its new police chief Monday night.

Mann will receive a salary of $55,000 per year, plus benefits.

The council also hired Steven Bryan, who is currently a prison guard in Montana, as a full-time deputy police officer. He will be offered the position for $50,000.

“Both of these guys seem good to me,” said Belfield Mayor Leo Schneider, who planned to formally offer the men their respective positions via phone Tuesday.

The council also considered partnering with South Heart and hiring a third officer the two cities could share.

Councilmen Jeff Iverson suggested that the city hire both Mann and Bryan, who could then assist with hiring a third officer.

“They might be better positioned to help us handpick a third officer that could help both here and in South Heart,” he said.

It is unclear when both officers will start, but Schneider said it could be a month or more before either Mann or Bryan is on duty.

Belfield will also look into pursuing a Law Enforcement Housing Pilot Program grant, which provides affordable housing for licensed police or sheriff’s deputies. The grant application is due by the end of June.

A total of $3 million is available statewide through the housing grant, which requires a unit to be built for $160,000 with $100,000 of the cost covered.

At last week’s county commission meeting, the commissioners rejected an idea for the county and Belfield to partner for the law enforcement housing grant. At the meeting, Sherriff Clarence Tuhy acknowledged Belfield’s struggle to hire a new police officer.

“Right now, we’ve been spending a lot of time in Belfield because they do not have their own law enforcement officers,” he told the commission. “They’ve offered the position, but it they’ve turned down because of housing issues.”

Stark County agreed to work with the city of Dickinson on the grant, which would allow for a maximum of four units per entity, or eight units total, to be built if they receive the grant.

There would be no income restrictions for law enforcement personnel housed in a facility built with the grant funds. But any other city or county employee would have to make below 60 percent of the area median income to qualify for the housing.

Tags: police chief, deputy officer, sidney mann, steven bryan, news, belfield