Former Grand Forks County Sheriff Dan Hill, who retired in 2011, died Thursday night.
His death followed a “lengthy battle” with cancer, according to a press release from the Sheriff’s Office.
Hill had been the longest serving sheriff in the history of Grand Forks County. He retired in 2010, when current Sheriff Bob Rost was elected. Hill took the position in 1991, after working for the Grand Forks Police Department.
During his own 20 years working with Hill, Rost recalled a level-headed leader who was good to his employees, even during tense events like the investigation of the murder of Dru Sjodin and the flood of 1997.
“He and I, when the flood waters started rising, we went out and got a hold of a farmer west of Grand Forks to see if we could get his clay,” Rost recalled, “so they could build a clay dike between 13th Avenue and 17th Avenue South.”
In 2010, Hill endorsed Rost when he was running for County Sheriff.
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“I’ll miss him a lot, because he mentored me for 20 years, getting me set up for this thing,” Rost said. “And he did a good job, because I feel a lot of what I’ve done and how I do it is because of him.”
Longtime County Commissioner Gary Malm said he started on the commission the same year Hill was elected.
“I had no problem dealing with Dan,” Malm said. “He was easy to talk to, and he was willing to listen.”
Norman Funeral Home is handling funeral arrangements, the release said.
“You don’t do a job like this for 20 years and not put your footprint in the department,” Rost said. “Employee-wise, equipment-wise, he was there. He was all about keeping his troop safe.”
