Keeping You Safe
by Jamee Larson
Ask people what they like best about living in the Fargo/Moorhead area and one would likely hear something along the lines of “it’s a safe place to raise a family” or “I like the sense of security.” Thanks to the efforts of the men and women serving on our area’s police forces, the Red River Valley is indeed one of the safest metropolitan areas in the nation.
Fargo Police Department:
Shortly after Fargo was incorporated into a city in 1875, John E. Haggart was elected the city’s first Police Chief. By 1881, the police department had grown to ten members. Among the early issues the department faced was “scorching,” a term used to describe driving a horse and buggy on the streets at more than eight miles an hour, and speeding bicycles on city streets. To combat the problem, the department issued “Crimson Rim bicycles” to officers in 1898.
The Fargo Police Department is currently led by Chief Keith Ternes, who has served as chief for the past seven years. The department is a vastly different place than it was when Ternes began in the department twenty seven years ago. “The department, the community, and crime issues have certainly changed,” Chief Ternes remarked. “When I began, Fargo’s 32nd Ave. South from University Avenue to the Flying J was a two-lane gravel road.” Ternes continued by saying that the department has almost doubled in size in the near three decades that he’s been serving the community of Fargo. “There were 86 or 87 officers when I started. We now have 145 sworn officers in the department.”
Chief Ternes talked about the safety of our metropolitan area, stating that he knows of many metro communities that are jealous of our high standards and low crime rates. “The communities of Fargo, Moorhead, and West Fargo, as well as the greater Cass/Clay County area are incredibly safe,” Ternes said. “Violent crime is virtually non-existent.” The Fargo Police Department responded to 55,584 calls for service in 2012, up slightly from 51,245 in 2011. Of the 2012 total, 2960 calls were in regards to violent crime, which includes murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, up slightly from 2696 in 2011. Property crime calls, which include burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson, stayed virtually consistent in 2012, from 5370 in 2011 to 5389. Overall, both violent and property crime totals have decreased markedly in the past five years.
While the FPD is responsible for many visible prevention programs, Chief Ternes believes that the most significant crime prevention programs take place outside of the public eye. The department utilizes two internal mechanisms to approach crime and safety. The department began utilizing computer statistics, or Comstat, eight to ten years ago. It affords the department the ability to process data and analyze crime trends across the city. Another program that provides valuable intel to officers is DDACS, or droppable date acquisition and control system, which was implemented two to three years ago. DDACS uses data to drive approaches to identify contributing factors in order combat crime and reduce traffic accidents. The combination of programs, Chief Ternes said, “is our best chance of attacking the problem.” According to Ternes, both internal mechanisms allow the department “to use resources to strategically work smarter rather than harder.”
Chief Ternes would like people to increase their vigilance in regards to property crime, which he believes could be reduced by fifty percent if people simply locked up their belongings. “We do have property crime issues,” Ternes said, “but a majority of property crime is preventable. A lot of people still live within a small town mentality in regards to crime.” The FPD has implemented the “Lock It or Lose It” campaign, which stresses the need for people to take responsibility for securing their property. “Most property crime is a crime of opportunity,” Ternes said. “By removing the opportunity, people can avoid becoming victims.”
SWAT Team:
One of the areas of the police department that is often the victim of stereotypes is the SWAT team. Television and popular culture often portrays SWAT team members as freewheeling and reckless. The reality, however, is much different. Lt. Ross Renner has been a part of the region’s SWAT team for eight years. Renner understands the misperceptions that may exist within the community. “We are not a bunch of cowboys,” he said. “In reality, SWAT goes to great lengths to prevent the public and members of the team from getting hurt.
The purpose of the SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) Team is to provide a highly trained unit of police personnel to respond to tactical and high-risk incidents. The Red River Valley Regional Bomb Squad, the Negotiations Unit, and the Tactical Emergency Medical Service (TEMS) are all components of the SWAT Team.
Lt. Renner began in the FPD fifteen years ago, moving to SWAT because “it was a challenge.” He would like SWAT to be considered a regional asset, explaining that is a collaborative program consisting of approximately twenty members from the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Clay County Sheriff’s Office, West Fargo Police Department, Moorhead Police Department, NDSU, and the Fargo Police Department. According to Lt. Renner, the joint nature of the program allows departments to share resources, specifically equipment, personnel, and finances.
Grand Forks Police Department:
The Grand Forks Police Department has seen similar success in crime prevention over the past few years. Total number of calls for service responded to by officers of the Grand Forks PD increased from 39,722 in 2010 and 41,308 in 2011, to 44,860 in 2012. Violent crime rose by 17 percent in 2012, primarily due to the increase in robbery complaints. Property crime, however, decreased by 8 percent in 2012.
One of the many reasons for the GFPD’s success is a strong Community Resource Bureau (CRB). The CRB’s purpose is to provide a partnership between police officers and the residents of Grand Forks. CRB is the main focus of community policing based programs and activities. Sgt. Derik Zimmel has been a part of the Grand Forks Police Department since 1998, holding several positions within the department before becoming part of the CRB a few years ago.
Like Chief Ternes, Sgt. Zimmel has seen a great deal of changes since he began serving. “Probably the biggest change in recent years has been the extensive demands of technological advances. Having computers in the patrol vehicles was a quantum leap not that many years ago.”
Zimmel highlighted some of the ways the CRB attempts to partner with the community to both prevent and solve crimes. “In conjunction with the technological changed, the GFPD has embraced social media as an additional means to communicate with the public,” adding that the department believes an open dialogue with the public in invaluable. “We actively seek partnerships,” Zimmel said, “that have the potential to increase public safety, decrease citizen fear of crime, increase effectiveness of agencies responding to criminal or quality of life issues, and enhance our own effectiveness or level of service we provide to the community.”
A Safe Place to Live:
The common denominator among police departments across the region is a fierce commitment to providing a safe and healthy environment for its citizens. The men and women who serve their communities do so because of a sincere desire to be of service. Although it is impossible to eradicate crime completely, the officers of the Red River Valley and surrounding areas are doing everything they can to minimize crime and maximize safety.
For more information of area police departments and their programs, visit the following websites.
Fargo Police Department www.cityoffargo.com/CityInfo/Departments/Police/
Moorhead Police Department www.moorheadpolice.com
West Fargo Police Department www.westfargopolice.com
Grand Forks Police Department www.grandforksgov.com/police