Fargo Police

While the community gathered in Downtown Fargo to celebrate the St. Patrick’s Day last Saturday, the #FargoPD was working behind the scenes to help ensure a safe and enjoyable event for everyone. Preparation started well before parade day, with officers coordinating closely with event organizers and public safety partners to plan logistics, assess potential risks and prepare for a variety of scenarios. On the day of the event, that planning came together. Officers were deployed throughout the area, both in visible roles along the route and behind the scenes in the Real-Time Crime Center. The Traffic Safety Team managed road closures, the Crowd Management Team monitored activity along the parade route and Community Service Officers cleared vehicles ahead of time to keep things running smoothly before the crowds arrived. K-9 Toby and his handler, Officer Miller, also conducted a precautionary explosives sweep of the route prior to the start. We also utilized our new vehicle modular barriers along the parade route to help prevent unauthorized vehicle access, adding another layer of protection for attendees. Thanks to strong teamwork, coordination and proactive planning, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade was a safe, successful and fun celebration for everyone in our community. 🍀🚔

🐾 Puppy on the loose! On Thursday, March 5, #FargoPD CSOs Buzick and Benson helped a scared, adorable, treat-loving pup safely off the street after over 50 minutes of patience and treats. Although she had a collar, there was no owner information, she was not microchipped or tagged and an owner never came forward to claim her. So...meet Colette! She’s now in foster care with Homeward Animal Shelter and ready to be adopted into her forever home. 🏡 You can adopt Colette or another furry friend at HomewardOnline.org ❤️

In case you missed it, Monday night, the #FargoPD presented its 2025 Annual Report to the City Commission, highlighting the work being done every day by our sworn and civilian staff who serve Fargo. Here are a few key takeaways from the presentation: ▪ Overall crime decreased 10% in 2025, continuing a downward trend. ▪ The Real-Time Crime Center continues to help officers respond faster and solve cases more efficiently. ▪ The Traffic Safety Team is making an impact on dangerous driving through enforcement and education. ▪ Officer Wellness continues to be at the forefront with the creation of the Department's first Wellness Unit. ▪ Community Beat Meetings are creating more opportunities to connect with residents. 📄 You can read the full 2025 Annual Report at FargoPolice.com.

On Tuesday, March 17, at approximately 2:49 p.m., Fargo Police Officers responded to a report of a disturbance in the 100 block of Roberts Street North. According to the call for service, the disturbance involved an agitated male armed with a baseball bat striking walls and making threats. Officers were able to identify the suspect as Dennis Christensen, a 59-year-old Fargo resident. Due to Christensen’s known criminal history and his refusal to exit his residence, the Red River Valley SWAT Team was activated. The SWAT team breached the door and issued commands. Christensen was arrested without incident for Terrorizing and an unrelated warrant. He was transported to Cass County Jail. The Fargo Police Department commends the response of its officers and the Red River Valley SWAT Team in ensuring the safety of the public. The FPD is committed to safeguarding our community by demonstrating our core values of Professionalism and Guardianship.

▪ The growing impact of the Real-Time Crime Center, which helps officers respond to and solve crimes faster ▪ Partnerships with the Fargo Police Foundation that support new equipment, technology and safety initiatives ▪ Community Beat Meetings, giving residents a chance to connect directly with officers and discuss neighborhood concerns Together, these efforts continue to support The Fargo Police Department’s mission of serving as guardians of Fargo. 📄 You can read the full 2025 Annual Report at FargoPolice.com. (2/2)

Today, Chief Dave Zibolski shared the #FargoPD’s 2025 Annual Report with the City Commission, highlighting the work our officers and professional staff have done over the past year to help keep our community safe. One of the biggest takeaways: overall reported crime in Fargo dropped 10% in 2025 compared to 2024, continuing a positive downward trend. The report also highlights several important initiatives, including: ▪ The Traffic Safety Team’s efforts to address dangerous driving and improve roadway safety ▪ The creation of a dedicated Wellness Unit to support the physical and mental well-being of officers and staff (1/2)

Congrats to #FargoPD Community Service Officer (CSO) Nora Benson, who is working her first shift as a solo CSO today, Monday, March 16. CSO Benson recently completed her Community Service Officer field training. In her role, she will assist the community with animal-related and parking-related calls for service throughout Fargo. CSOs are civilian professionals who play an important part in supporting our department and keeping our operations running smoothly. 🚔 Congratulations, CSO Benson, on achieving this milestone in your FPD career, and welcome to #TeamFargo.

Downtown Fargo was full of energy this morning for the 29th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and it was great to see so many people out enjoying the celebration together. 🍀 Events like this are always a highlight for our #FargoPD officers. While we’re there to help keep things running smoothly, it’s also a great chance to connect with the community along the parade route. We saw lots of waves, big smiles and plenty of kids excited to spot our officers and patrol cars. Even K-9 Toby got in on the St. Patrick’s Day fun! 🐾 Thanks to everyone who came out and helped make it another fun and safe parade in our community! 🍀🌈

St. Patrick’s Day weekend is here and if alcohol is part of your plans, make sure getting home safely is part of the plan too. Thanks to @VisionZeroND's ND Sober Ride Program, it’s easy to arrange a safe ride home. Community members can receive $10 off a ride with Uber or Lyft by scanning one of the QR codes in our graphic. For Lyft riders, you can also enter the voucher code VZPATS2026 in the app. 🍀 Vouchers are available while supplies last and can be used beginning today, Friday, March 13 through St. Patrick’s Day, Tuesday, March 17. Celebrate the holiday, enjoy time with friends, but make sure to plan ahead for a sober ride home. 🚗💚

Are you ready for this weekend’s St. Patrick’s Day parade? 🌈☘️ #FargoPD Community Service Officer Clyde Bryant is sharing important info about temporary parking restrictions in #DowntownFargo on Saturday morning, March 14, and highlighting available parking options. Vehicles parked in restricted areas after 6 a.m. on Saturday morning will be towed at the owner’s expense. To learn more about parking options in Downtown #Fargo, visit FargoParking.com. 🚫No Parking Zones Along the Following Parade Route: 🚧NP Ave. from the Red River to Broadway 🚧Broadway from NP Ave. to 4th Ave. N. 🚧4th Ave. N. from Broadway to 2nd St. N. Plan ahead, park smart and enjoy the parade! 🍀

A Message from Fargo Police Chief Dave Zibolski: Today, Fargo Police Chief Dave Zibolski is announcing his retirement as leader of the #FargoPD. In this video, Chief Zibolski speaks directly to the community, sharing his decision to retire and begin the next chapter of his life, while expressing gratitude for the trust and support he has received from the community throughout his career. He also emphasizes his confidence in the men and women of The Fargo Police Department, highlighting their leadership, professionalism and unwavering commitment to keeping Fargo safe. Additionally, Chief Zibolski assures residents that the department is fully prepared to continue its mission of guardianship and service following his final day on Friday, March 27. Here is Chief Zibolski’ full message to the community.

It’s no secret that officers and donuts go hand in hand, and this thoughtful treat definitely brightened the day for many of our #FargoPD officers and staff. Thank you to Avery for the kind donation for our team today! 🍩 We’re incredibly grateful for the daily support we receive and are proud to serve our great Fargo community. Small gestures like this mean a lot to the men and women serving our city every day. We truly appreciate your continued trust and support!

This month, we’re shining a spotlight on the women of #FargoPD. From officers on patrol keeping our streets safe, to detectives and investigators solving complex cases, to the civilian staff who support our operations behind the scenes, women play an essential role in every part of our department. As we celebrate Women's History Month and International Women's Day, we honor their contributions, their professionalism and the example they set for future generations of women in the policing profession. 💙 If you’re ready to take that next step to serve your community and help shape the future of women at the FPD, learn more at or apply today at JoinFargoPD.com.

Today is National Employee Appreciation Day, and we want to take a moment to recognize the incredible people who make the #FargoPD run smoothly: all of our sworn officers and non-sworn civilian staff. From keeping our community safe to supporting each other behind the scenes, your dedication, professionalism and heart make a real difference every day in providing the highest level of service to the residents and visitors of Fargo. Thank you for all that you do! 💙

We are in week 7 of 18 at the Fargo Police Academy and our nine recruits in Class IX are making excellent progress. The first six weeks focused on in-depth classroom instruction to prepare them for the ND POST Certification Test. Last Friday all recruits passed, and we are extremely proud of their accomplishment. This week marks the transition from theory to practice. Recruits are applying what they have learned in hands-on training scenarios. This week included their first experience with room clearing exercises and an introduction to tasers. Each scenario is designed to build the skills and confidence they will need in the field in a training environment where it is safe to learn from mistakes. Each week brings new challenges and while there is still a long road ahead, we are excited to guide them as they grow into the professional, capable officers our community relies on every day. Are you thinking about stepping up to serve your community as a police officer? Applications for the July Fargo Police Academy are now open. You can learn more and apply today at JoinFargoPD.com.

Today, we’re launching a new #FargoPD community identification series called “Name That Suspect”. Every day, our officers and investigators work to identify individuals connected to crimes in our community, but many remain unsolved. Sometimes the missing piece to clearing a case isn’t forensic evidence or surveillance footage, rather it’s someone who recognizes a face. That’s where you can help. “Name That Suspect” will be a recurring social media series highlighting individuals we are actively trying to identify in connection with non-violent or lower-level offenses. This new series will allow our team to seek community help on cases where internal investigative efforts have been exhausted for cases that might otherwise go unsolved. For violent or higher-level offenses, we will continue using our standard approach to soliciting the public’s assistance, as those types of offenses will not be featured in this format. In today’s inaugural edition of “Name That Suspect”, we are asking for your help identifying two individuals: Suspect 1 (ICR: 26-1720): This individual was involved in a fleeing incident that occurred at 10:16 p.m. on Wednesday, January 7. This person initially stopped for officers during a traffic stop but fled before identifying themselves. Suspect 2 (ICR: 26-14125): This individual was involved in a shoplifting incident that occurred around 10:55 p.m. on Saturday, February 28, in the 4700 block of 13th Avenue South. After leaving the store, the individual entered a maroon Ford F-150, believed to be a 2000s model. When officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the driver of the truck fled the scene. If you recognize any of the individuals pictured in today’s edition of “Name That Suspect”, you’re encouraged to contact The Fargo Police Department at 701.241.5777. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by texting the keyword FARGOPD along with your tip to 847411. Thank you for your assistance as we work to solve more cases and continue reducing overall crime in Fargo.

@FargoFireDept ‼️UPDATE‼️ The Fargo Police Department has identified the deceased individual as Trevor Stephens, a 39-year-old male who was a Fargo resident. This incident is still under investigation. No additional information is available at this time.

On Monday, March 2, around 2:35 p.m., the @FargoFireDept and Fargo Police Department were dispatched to the Red River near the Main Avenue bridge for a water rescue. Initial reports from witnesses stated an adult male was seen walking on the ice before falling through into the river. Upon arrival, emergency crews immediately began search and rescue operations. At approximately 3:38 p.m., crews located the individual and removed him from the river. The male, identified as a 39-year-old Fargo resident, was transported to a local medical facility where he was later pronounced deceased. The individual’s name will not be released until after next of kin has been notified. The Fargo Fire Department and Fargo Police Department remind residents that as temperatures rise, river ice continues to weaken and deteriorate. It is also important to understand that river ice differs from lake ice. Because rivers have a constant current beneath the surface, the ice is often thinner, less stable and far more dangerous. The Fargo Fire Department and Fargo Police Department were assisted on scene by the Moorhead Fire Department, Moorhead Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Sanford Ambulance. This is an ongoing investigation. No additional information is available at this time.

The Fargo Police Department is notifying the community that a registered sex offender, Damon John Smith, has registered at 1310 11th St. N. in Fargo, North Dakota. Smith was assessed as a HIGH-RISK offender by the North Dakota Sex Offender Risk Assessment Committee. Learn more at: bit.ly/4d1x32P