Johnson joins city police department

BONNERS FERRY — Bonners Ferry Police Officer Brandon Johnson joined the police department on Dec. 10, after spending about two years working as a reserve for the Boundary County Sheriff’s Office.

He self sponsored, paying his way through the North Idaho College Basic Patrol Academy, and graduated on Dec. 7.

“I put in an application with the county and the city. The city ended up picking me up, which was great because this is where I wanted to be, in my hometown,” said Johnson. “I have lived here my whole life.”

Many people may know Johnson through KGT Septic & Excavation, where he worked for his parents for most of his working life, starting right after eighth grade. He also spent about three years logging in the area as well.

Having spent so much time in the service business, Johnson sees this move as the extension of that, and said that he has always been drawn to help people.

“My whole life has been service business, people, community, that sort of thing,” said Johnson. “This was just another way of doing that, in a little different way.”

Johnson talked about being a familiar face in a new uniform.

“People see me and they know me from the septic, and the plumbing, and the excavation side of the business, and they are like ‘oh, you are doing that now’,” he said with a smile. “It’s not like I am a changed guy at all, and I have a lot of friends in the community.”

Johnson said that he is really glad to be able to serve the community in this new capacity.

“I’m not always going to be able to be the nice guy, like I was — you can’t be — but I still love the community and I love the people,” Johnson explained. “That is why I wanted this job here.”

The transition for has gone smoothly for Johnson and he is enjoying his new job.

“I learned a lot as a reserve for the county so it is not like it is a big shock for me now that I am here, because I was already in it some,” said Johnson. “I love Chief Zimmerman, the new chief. He is great and we have a really good department here as far as guys, so I am really enjoying it.

“You are always at the edge of what you think you can do and you are always learning from that,” said Johnson. “Learning from experience is a good thing.”

Johnson describes himself as a simple guy who enjoys the outdoors. He is a family man with a wife and three young boys with whom he loves to share all the outdoor activities that Boundary County has to offer, including hunting and fishing.

“I’m not big into any one thing. We just live here and we have all of this stuff and I like to do all of it,” said Johnson.

“I am a really simple guy. I just want to do what I am doing forever,” said Johnson. “I don’t know why — it is just one of those things that I have always been drawn to do — is serve people. I have been in the service business for 13 to 15 years, and I hope to continue to do this for at least that long — for the rest of my career. That would be really nice.”

Bonners Ferry Police Chief Brian Zimmerman is equally enthusiastic about his new officer.

“Brandon Johnson is the epitome of honesty and integrity,” said Zimmerman. “Mix that with being a guy who bleeds Bonners Ferry, he doesn’t make for a better fit for our Police Department family.”