Waite Park, Minnesota Police Chief Dave Bentrud began his life in Glenwood, a small town in west-central Minnesota. Having lost his father when he was nine and his mother when he was 16, he knew at an early age that he wanted to do something to help people, particularly helping kids deal with adversity. Chief Bentrud’s journey took him to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he earned his criminal justice degree at the University of St. Thomas.