West Fargo City Commission Votes To Promote Pete Nielsen to Police Chief

October 2, 2023

TJ Nelson,

WEST FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — West Fargo has a new police chief.

The full city commission on Monday night voted in favor of promoting Assistant Police Chief Pete Nielsen to the top job.

He will replace Chief Denis Otterness who is retiring as of Friday, October 6.

Otterness has been chief since 2020.

Nielsen is a native of West Fargo and joined the police department in 1999 after having worked as a law enforcement specialist with the United States Air Force and as a police officer at NDSU.

“It has been my honor to serve with Pete Nielsen as my Assistant Chief over the past two years,” said outgoing Chief Denis Otterness. “The West Fargo Police Department is in great hands with a leadership team of the highest caliber.”

The city commission vote was unanimous.

Nielsen will become Chief on Friday at 11:59 p.m. and will be formally sworn in at an upcoming city commission meeting.