Meet Bozeman’s first Police Community Liaison

As part of the Belonging in Bozeman Plan — which brought together several organizations and community members to create an environment where those who work, live and visit Bozeman can thrive — the City of Bozeman hired a Police Community Liaison (PCL). 

The primary role of the position is to strengthen relationships between community members, organizations and the Bozeman Police Department (BPD), according to Courtney Smith, the belonging and engagement coordinator for the City of Bozeman. 

The plan was adopted by the Bozeman City Commission on Dec. 19, 2023 and David Ferguson was hired as a PCL in July of 2026. 

“The hope with having a police community liaison is that if anyone or any organization or group feels not comfortable going directly to the police department, that this person can be a bridge,” Smith said.

Although a PCL is not a law enforcement officer, they play a valuable role in the community by creating a space for the public to express their opinions, according to Smith.

“There are a lot of advantages to having someone who’s not a full-time law enforcement officer being a community liaison. For example, someone may feel uncomfortable approaching someone who has a weapon on their side,” she said. “[A liaison] creates an avenue for informal conversation. 

“So if somebody doesn’t want to go directly to the safety center, they can meet [Ferguson] at a coffee shop or somewhere that feels more comfortable and safe for them,” she said. 

Ferguson stepped into the role of PCL after two years of retirement from BPD’s Special Victims Unit (SVU), where he served as a detective for 20 years. He said he returned from retirement specifically for the new PCL position, believing the role plays to his strengths. 

According to him, his prior experience as an SVU detective and his pre-existing connections with the Bozeman community allow for the transition into being a liaison, fostered by his strength of communication.  

“My favorite thing is being able to get out and talk to people. That's what I really enjoy doing, is representing the department and hearing from people, and my job is to hear what people aren’t so thrilled about the police department with,” he said. 

According to Ferguson, having a bridge between the Bozeman community and the BPD is extremely important. 

“The community depends on the police department — but the police department depends on the community and the community’s trust to do their job effectively,” Ferguson said.

Further, he hopes to strengthen relationships that may have previously been fractured. 

“It makes sense that the police department would have a community liaison to be proactive about maintaining that relationship —  especially reaching out to folks or populations [where] maybe that relationship has been bruised and needs some work,” he said. 

With his previous experience at the BPD, Ferguson said his relationships have allowed for more effective communication within the police department, where each side can hear each other's ideas.

“Anything that I bring up, the administration or anyone here always takes the time to listen to and see if something does need to be changed,” he said. 

In addition to his work in the Bozeman community, Ferguson works closely with the MSU police department. According to him, he plans to coordinate with other departments and offices in the MSU community as well. 

“I’m definitely interested in talking to students directly in different clubs,” he said. “So, if any of the student clubs would like me to come, want to reach out to talk to me, I would love to go and talk with them.”

David Ferguson can be reached at: David.Ferguson@bozemanmt.gov