Heir apparent came up through the ranks
While on street patrol Roger Nasset, of the Kalispell Police Department, bumps fists with Konnor Dolechek, 9, of Kalispell at the Woodland Skate Park. Nasset was recommended by a selection committee to replace retiring chief Frank Garner. The city council will consider his appointment on Sept. 5. Craig Moore/Daily Inter Lake
Leading candidate to be new chief has been with police force since 1994
With the approval of the Kalispell City Council on Sept. 5, Roger Nasset will become the city's next police chief.
Nasset already has the approval of Chief Frank Garner, who will retire at the end of the year.
"He'll be a heck of a police chief," Garner said of Nasset.
A lieutenant, Nasset has been a patrol officer, drug task force member, patrol sergeant, SWAT team member and leader, and chief of detectives.
He has been chosen to attend the FBI Academy this fall and was named Montana Police Officer of the Year in 2001.
At age 37, Nasset has been with the department since 1994.
He led the detective division during the investigation and prosecution of Dick Dasen Sr. for sex crimes. He also worked on the George Evans and Darlene Wilcock murders, was leading the SWAT team at the time of David Burgert's overnight standoff with police, worked on the undercover drug investigation at Flathead High School, and was involved in the robbery and shooting case at the Rose casino.
Nasset's FBI training, from October to December, hastened the selection process, Garner said.
A six-member selection committee recommended Nasset from a field of three candidates - all Kalispell police officers. On the committee were the city manager, city attorney, two members of the police advisory committee, the Bozeman police chief, and a consultant.
Garner said that all bigger police departments in Montana have chiefs who "came up through the ranks" in their own departments. They include Billings, Helena, Great Falls, Bozeman, and Missoula.
Nasset is an example of how well that can work, Garner said.
"Roger Nasset is just one of those guys who has not just personal character and integrity, but the professional credentials to make me feel good about turning the reins over to him.
"If my family ever needs help, I'm going to feel good about the organization he'll have," Garner said.
Born and raised in Montana, Nasset earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Minot State University in North Dakota. He attended college on scholarships in basketball and football.
He has remained active in youth sports in Kalispell. He and his wife have five children, ages 8 to 15. Nasset is also active in his church and works with school investigations clubs at high schools.
He said he is grateful to have a solid department in place under the leadership of Garner and other administrators.
"I don't plan doing a lot different to start with. We'll work to perfect what we are doing right now," Nasset said.
He thinks the city has grown to a point where the department needs a planning division to help map out trends for things such as accidents, burglaries and traffic concerns.
He said that while the department has excellent special units, his focus will be on patrol - the heart of the department that handles both crimes and traffic enforcement.
Nasset said he will continue to foster the department's excellent relationship with the community.