On Wednesday afternoon in Boulder, leaders came together to dedicate the Montana Highway Patrol Headquarters as the Kris Hansen Montana Highway Patrol Campus. In July of 2022, Kris Hansen died shortly after stepping down from her position as Lieutenant General of the Montana Department of Justice.
Hansen, a law school graduate and a Montana National Guard and Iraq veteran, was a Montana State Representative and Senator. Speakers at the dedication noted Hansen's life was marked by her tireless acts of service — in particular her mother, Sue Hansen.
"She was a servant from day one. She was stubborn and bossy, but she got things done. She, she looked for things to do to help people. And—that was just Kris. That's who she was," her mother said.
At the Montana Department of Justice, Hansen made a concerted effort to find a new, adequately-sized headquarters for the Montana Highway Patrol. She made quick work of finding and transforming the former Montana Developmental Center in Boulder into MHP's newest headquarters in 2021.
Kurt Sager, colonel of the Montana Highway Patrol said, "Kris was notorious for getting things done, being efficient, and she cared about service and she definitely cared about the Highway Patrol. (She) knew that we had a need, wouldn't take no for an answer from people that said it couldn't be done in the time frame that it could be done. (She) knew that the Highway Patrol needed a facility and she got it done."
After Hansen's death, legislators came together to pass a bill to name the headquarters as the Kris Hansen Montana Highway Patrol Campus.
"But this place is absolutely a testament to her. The Department of Justice and the Montana Highway Patrol would not have this 'A' beautiful campus, but 'B' really, really useful piece of property for the Highway Patrol's mission, were it not for Kris's foresight and her tenacity working with the Legislature," Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen said during his speech.
Hansen died at 52.
