Meet Jim Veltkamp, Bozeman’s new police chief

Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (1) – 4/29/21

Jim Veltkamp was selected in March out of a pool of 70 applicants to be Bozeman’s new police chief. Before he joined the Bozeman Police Department in 1999 however, he was working in corporate marketing. “I want a career that made a bigger difference, made a bigger impact, where I could truly serve people,” Veltkamp told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle of his career change. “I know that’s a stereotypical answer, but that’s honestly the reason all of us in law enforcement get into the job, is to truly help people.” His vision for the department includes engaging the community in law enforcement and providing them with transparency. Assistant City Manager Chuck Winn says this vision, as well as Veltkamp’s decades of local law enforcement experience, made him perfect for the job.