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Officer Klippenes

Officer Klippenes is a Montanan by choice, having spent the last 28 years in the State that he and his family are proud to call home. After running a successful business for five years, he became a Firefighter/Paramedic for Great Falls Fire Rescue (GFFR) in 2001, retiring in 2021 after an eventful 20-year career. During his time at GFFR, Klippenes earned and held almost every rank within the department, retiring as Deputy Chief of Training. He was blessed to be able to spend 12 of those years cross-trained as an entry-team SWAT Medic for the Great Falls Police Department (GFPD), four years as a GFPD Chaplain, earned a position as a Reserve Deputy with the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office, and spent time moonlighting as a transport Paramedic with Great Falls Emergency Services. Following a month-long retirement, Officer Klippenes started full-time with the GFPD as a Patrolman in January 2022 and loves the work of the patrol bureau. Whether it’s running hot calls or welfare checks, he recognizes and appreciates the value of the work they do and the impact it has on the community on a day-to-day basis. Officer Klippenes has also been a frequently published author in nationally circulated hunting and outdoor magazines. This is a result of chronicling and photographing his love for the outdoors and backcountry hunting adventures throughout Montana.

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Frequently asked Questions

  • A full list of qualifications can be found by searching Montana Code Annotated(MCA) 7-32-303 on the internet. Hear are a few of them:
    • Must be a citizen of the United States
    • Must be at least 18 years of age
    • Not have been convicted of a crime for which the person could have been imprisoned in a federal or state penitentiary
    • Have a high school diploma or have been issues a high school equivalency diploma
    • Must possess or be eligible to possess a Montana driver’s license
    • Visual acuity of, or corrected to, 20/20
    • Ability to pass a color vision test
    • College coursework in law enforcement or related fields is helpful but not required
  • Please contact a recruiter via our “Text A Recruiter” link at the bottom of every page.
  • You may also check open positions here

The hiring process is split up into 4 phases

Phase 1: Application/Testing

      • 4-part written test covering basic math, reading, grammar and report writing
      • Montana Physical Abilities Test (MPAT)
      • Oral boards, personal history, and a background investigation which takes about 3 weeks

Phase 2: Physical/Psychological Exam

        • Physical Exam/Drug Screening
        • Psychological Exam
        • Police Commission Review
        • Prep Week
          • On-boarding with HR
          • Swearing-in Ceremony
          • Online MLEA course work
          • MPAT for current score prior to leaving for MLEA

Phase 3: Academy 

  • 12 weeks Monday–Friday with occasional weekend trainings. 
  • Recruits will meet at the GFPD and car-pool to Helena in an assigned PD car

Phase 4: Post-Academy

      • Two weeks of hands-on training building on MLEA
      • 16 weeks Field Training with an experienced Field Training Officer (FTO)
      • Divided into 4 phases
      • Daily grading/evaluation of performance

You can find the additional information in our FAQ’s page

  • The Great Falls Police Department is committed to providing the highest quality of police service to the citizens of Great Falls, in partnership with the entire community. Officers are responsible for patrolling assigned areas, issuing citations, making arrests, responding to calls, monitoring traffic, preparing reports and operating mobile data terminals . The Department responds to over 45,000 calls for service each year.
  • There are currently three academy classes per year. We average onboarding 2-3 new officers per hiring round.
  • Yes, all officers are hired prior to attending the academy and will be paid their wage while in attendance.
  • The written test consists of 4 tests covering basic math skills, reading comprehension, grammar, and report writing. All tests require only the knowledge gained at the high school level and do not require any previous law enforcement training or experience. Applicants will be provided with an internet link to a study guide specific to the test we are using once they have applied.
  • The Great Falls Police Department conducts its interviews in such a way that no law enforcement training or experience is necessary. The questions are generally behavior based to challenge an applicant’s morals and ethics. General knowledge of the Great Falls Police Department and the City of Great Falls as organizations is also helpful.

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