Billings Police Chief Rich St. John announced Friday he plans to retire Sept. 30, ending a 45-year law enforcement career in Montana’s largest city and one of its most crime-challenged.
St. John began his law enforcement career in 1981 as a Billings patrol officer, a role he held for six years before moving into the Juvenile Division as a detective in 1987. He became a sergeant in the Patrol Division in 1989 and served as a lieutenant in the Patrol and Investigations divisions from 1991 to 2004. During a department restructuring in 2004, he was named captain of the Operations Division, where he led the city’s SWAT Team, Bomb Squad and Hostage Negotiations team. He was promoted to deputy chief in May 2005 and became chief in October 2005 after playing football at Rocky Mountain College early in his life.
During his two decades as chief, calls for service increased dramatically and the size of the force grew significantly as the city expanded.
Billings has consistently ranked as one of the most crime-affected cities in Montana and above national averages throughout St. John’s tenure, with property crime — particularly vehicle theft — a persistent challenge. The city’s violent crime rate has also remained elevated compared to national benchmarks for cities of similar size, though recent data shows some improvement in both violent and property crime trends.
St. John’s departure comes at a time of broader leadership change in Yellowstone County law enforcement. Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder recently announced his own retirement after 15 years, with his last day set for July 31.
By: DNU News wire