County Commissioners approve ‘Back the Blue’ bonuses for MCSO
M.K. French
Farmer Staff Writer
In a move aimed at retaining local law enforcement and corrections staff, the McKenzie County Board of Commissioners approved a plan to distribute a state-funded retention bonus to employees of the McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office and the McKenzie County Correctional Center. The decision was made at the commission meeting on September 15, 2025, following a motion to accept a $56,772 grant from the state.
The grant, part of the “Back the Blue” initiative, is specifically for retention, not recruitment, a key distinction noted by Sheriff Matthew Johansen. This marks the second time the county has received such a grant. “Last year, though, it was a recruitment,” Johansen explained to the commissioners. “And this is specifically for retention.”
The “Back the Blue” grant program is a state initiative created by the North Dakota Legislature to help local law enforcement agencies with recruitment and retention efforts. The program was first funded in 2023 with a $3.5 million appropriation, and a similar amount was provided for the 2025-2027 biennium.
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