New North Dakota Highway Patrol Superintendent

Cruisers for the North Dakota Highway Patrol sit parked in the Capitol parking lot on April 26, 2024. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – The North Dakota Highway Patrol has a new superintendent.

Lt. Daniel Haugen was named interim superintendent of the North Dakota Highway Patrol by Gov. Doug Burgum.

Haugen will only be under the interim superintendent title until Dec. 15.

Gov.-elect Kelly Armstrong announced Haugen will serve as the permanent superintendent once his administration transitions into power.

“Lieutenant Haugen’s career is the embodiment of the dedication, leadership, and vision necessary to ensure the safety and security of all North Dakotans,” Armstrong said in a news release. “With his proven record of fostering community trust and advancing public safety, I am fully confident he will excel as Superintendent of the North Dakota Highway Patrol.”

Haugen will replace the outgoing superintendent, Col. Brandon Solberg, who is retiring from law enforcement to become the director of facility management for the Office of Management and Budget.

In a news release, Burgum expressed his gratitude for Solberg’s service to the state.

Haugen, a Marine veteran, joined the Highway Patrol in 2000 and, during his time on the force, served as the training director for the North Dakota Law Enforcement Training Academy. He also received three Colonel’s Awards for Excellence and the North Dakota Peace Officers Association’s Life Saving Award.

Most recently, Haugen served as the field commander for the southwest region of the Highway Patrol, which includes Dickinson and Bismarck.

“I am deeply honored to serve as Superintendent of the North Dakota Highway Patrol and grateful to Governor-Elect Armstrong for this opportunity to serve in his administration,” Haugen said in a news release. “Together, we will build on the Patrol’s legacy of excellence, ensure public safety, and strengthen our partnerships with communities across the state.”

Haugen, a Langdon native, received an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Bismarck State College and is a graduate of the Northwestern University School of Police Staff & Command.