Fargo City Commissioner Sounds Alarm About Public Safety Downtown

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – Fargo City Commissioner Dave Piepkorn is sounding the alarm about public safety downtown.

He wants a larger police presence to crack down on what he calls harassment and aggressive panhandlers.

Piepkorn and other commissioners agreed the issue needs a metro-wide look with public input.

There are Harm Reduction and Mobile Outreach programs that provide services including crisis response.

Commissioner John Strand said he would like to see more staffing and investment in those programs.

“Last Thursday I walked around the block where the Bismarck (Tavern) is,” said Piepkorn.

“There were four people just blitzed out of their minds, whether on drugs or alcohol, one laying on the boulevard one laying on the sidewalk. It’s like, we can’t have that.”

City Commissioner Arlette Preston responded, “I have to also counter this a bit. Living downtown, as often as I am on the sidewalk, I rarely if ever feel unsafe.”

Fargo Police plan to open a downtown station in October.

Mayor Tim Mahoney says the city will also be close to filling the police department ranks thanks to the latest academy.