Kalispell police gain new officer on force

Ceremony on the same day as death of another officer

On the day that Kalispell police lost a longtime comrade with the death of Sgt. John Ortiz, it gained a new officer in Brian Jones.

Jones completed his year of probation with the department and on Monday night received the Kalispell City Council's confirmation to full status as a police officer.

Several other officers and their families attended the council meeting to witness the swearing-in.

"It's been a gloomy day for us, but there is a bright spot," Police Chief Roger Nasset said as he introduced Jones to the council Monday night.

Jones came to Kalispell from Nampa, Idaho, with a bachelor's degree in justice studies and Spanish. He is undergoing SWAT basic training now, Nasset said.

But the young officer already has proven his mettle.

During a three-hour armed standoff May 28, when a man kidnapped his wife from an Ashley Drive home and drove her to a Howard Drive home, the suspect fired a gun toward police outside.

Jones was helping hold the perimeter when that shot flew directly over his head. Nasset praised Jones for holding firm in that situation and in other actions in which he's been involved.

Mayor Pam Kennedy pinned Jones' badge on his uniform, thanking him for "outstanding service to the city in your first year."

"This is in honor of Sgt. Ortiz," Nasset quietly added as he handed the badge to Kennedy.