Fargo City Commission approves $13 million contract for police department technology

FARGO (KVRR-KFGO) – The Fargo Police Department has received approval from the city commission to extend a contract with Axon Enterprises for their body cameras and an enhanced drone program.

The Fargo City Commission initially approved the Axon body cameras five years ago. The contract renewal is for ten more years.

Assistant Police Chief Travis Stefanowicz says if they enter into the agreement by Dec. 31, it will secure 2025 pricing and avoid a substantial increase in 2026. He says locking in the price will generate an estimated savings of $8.6 million over ten years.

The city commission approved the contract with a 3-2 vote. It will cost $13,363,487 over ten years. Stefanowicz says $11.2 million was built into the Public Safety Sales Tax plan and they will be budget-neutral for the first five years. Funding for the last half of the contract will be absorbed by the police department budget.

The contract includes hardware refreshes, maintains the evidence platform that is already in use, and avoids having to replace the current system, retraining officers and having to transfer data to a new system.

The $13.3 million includes body-worn cameras, in-car video and digital evidence; expanded training and de-escalation tools using realistic simulations through virtual reality, including how to handle people in a mental health crisis; and a “drone as first responders” program.

Police Chief Dave Zibolski says the department will get three new drones, which will improve situational awareness before officers arrive on scene, and can help in missing persons cases.

Zibolski says the new drones will be used at the real-time crime center and deployed during higher-priority responses and events.

Commissioners John Strand, Denise Kolpack and Mayor Tim Mahoney voted in favor of renewing the contract. Commissioners Dave Piepkorn and Michelle Turnberg voted against it.

Piepkorn said he doesn’t support a ten-year commitment. Mayor Mahoney and Assistant Police Chief Stefanowicz said entering into the ten-year agreement will save the city millions of dollars over the course of the contract.