BISMARCK, N.D. (KFGO) – North Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper Kristjan Helgoe has been named 2021 Trooper of the Year by the North Dakota Motor Carriers Association (NDMCA).
Helgoe serves the southeast region, stationed in Fargo. He is a Traffic Enforcement Trooper and is Assistant Coordinator for the NDHP K9 program. Helgoe has partnered with K9 Fia since 2014.
NDMCA’s Trooper of the Year award reflects the trucking industry’s appreciation for enhancing safety for those who depend on the highway for their livelihood.
A letter nominating Helgoe for the award noted him as a valuable member of not only the NDHP, but also the community he serves.
“Trooper Helgoe’s hard work and dedication have established strong relationships with local law enforcement agencies and other civic groups,” the letter stated. “As a canine handler, he has made himself available to all area agencies, at any hour, to perform searches of vehicles and structures for illegal narcotics. He, along with his K9 partner Fia, have reached out to countless groups to spread a positive message of traffic safety and awareness.”
Helgoe has served the North Dakota Highway Patrol as a use of force instructor, a member of the DUI enforcement team with over 500 career DUI arrests, a member of the Emergency Response Team, and served as a less lethal munitions instructor.
In may, Helgoe was awarded the Vision Zero Officer of the Year award and recognized as a NDHP top-10 trooper in speed enforcement, DUI enforcement, drug enforcement, and occupant protection.
