Fargo police chief selection will not be immediate, but the process will be expedited

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — A motion by City Commissioner Michelle Turnberg to make Interim Police Chief Travis Stefonowicz the permanent chief, failed due to a lack of a second but in the end the process was expedited.

Turnberg wanted the chief of police job posted on Tuesday, closed on Friday and then voted on at the April 27 commission meeting.

The only requirement by ordinance is the job has to be posted in the official newspaper, The Forum, and the city billboards.

H-R said they generally post a department head level position anywhere from two to three weeks.

A number of fellow officers and colleagues voiced their support for Stefonowicz in person and through letters including Cass County Sheriff Jesse Jahner and West Fargo Police Chief Pete Nielsen.

But before the vote, there was a back and forth between commissioners.

“We only need to post for 1 day. You have all of this support. This is just political theater,” said Turnberg.

City Commissioner Dave Piepkorn said, “And right now he can start doing stuff, right now.”

He then looked at Turnberg and said, “Don’t shake your head, he’s the chief right now. So right now, I met with him on Friday there’s lots of stuff we can start working on today.”

And City Commissioner Denise Kolpack gave her thoughts saying, “By doing it the right way but doing it in expedited fashion because of the realities of an interim being a candidate in these circumstances with the budget right in front of us.”

Mayor Mahoney, Kolpack and Turnberg voted for the 2nd option which will have the position posted from April 14 through 28 and if the selection is an internal candidate, they would take the job on May 11 or July 6 for an external candidate.

Kolpack, Turnberg and Piepkorn are all running for mayor in June.