Murnion looking forward to career in the Havre Police Department

Former Hill County Detention Officer Brandon Murnion, 24, was sworn in as a new probationary police officer for the Havre Police Department at a City Council meeting Monday evening, and he said he's looking forward to his time serving the community.

Murnion was was raised in Chinook where his two brothers, one older, one younger, still live along with his parents who, he said, have supported him in his pursuit of becoming an officer.

"They've fully supported me, this is what they know I've always wanted to do," he said.

He said he has a couple of cousins in the Bozeman Police Department, but he's the first person in his immediate family to go into law enforcement.

Murnion said he decided to work at the Hill County Detention Center as a prelude to becoming a police officer and moved to Havre two years ago for that job, which he left in June of this year.

"I think Havre is a great town to live in and I enjoy the small community here, so it'll be a great place to settle down and start my career," he said.

He said he spends a lot of his free time outdoors, and enjoys what nature has to offer.

"I like to go camping and fishing, hiking and all of that," he said.

He said he got the idea to work at the detention center from the man who would become his boss.

"I went to school with the current administrator of the jail, Austin Chookomoolin, and he told me how it was a good stepping stone into a career in law enforcement," Murnion said, "So I thought I would give it a try because that's something I've always wanted to do."

He said he's always wanted to get into law enforcement because he wants to help his fellow community members.

"I'm passionate about serving my community, and I thought being in law enforcement would be a great way to do that," he said.

Murnion said he enjoyed his time at the detention center and that his time there has provided him with a number of skills that thinks will help him in his new career.

"I would definitely recommend anyone going into law enforcement as a police officer to work at a detention center or a jail for at least a couple years," he said, "You learn some really great communication skills."

He said he thinks his time interacting with the inmates at the detention center will help him better connect with people and understand what they're going through.

"At the detention center, you deal with inmates on a daily basis, and you learn how to talk to them and understand the struggle that they're going through ... that transfers over to the streets," he said, "As a police officer, you'll be able to see them again and you'll be able to talk to them and understand them more."

The detention center wasn't the only place, Murnion, said he was able to develop skills. Before becoming a detention officer, he attended the Montana Law Enforcement Academy for his basic training for that position and will be going back in September in preparation for his new position as a police officer.

"I'm looking forward to going back because it was a great experience," he said, "You learn a lot of great skills and you meet a lot of good people."

Murnion said he's also excited for the people he'll meet later in his career as a police officer in Havre.

"I'm looking forward to the people I meet, the people I can help out and just serving the community in general," he said. "I think they'll be moments I remember for the rest of my life ... and I'm looking forward to making those memories."