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Commission approves expedited posting for Fargo police chief after heated debate
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Summary
After a debate over civil-service rules and public vetting, the City Commission voted to adopt an expedited schedule to post the police chief vacancy, advancing a timeline that supporters said allows immediate leadership and budget participation while opponents warned it could undercut transparency.
The City Commission voted to adopt an expedited posting schedule for the Fargo police chief vacancy after extended debate about civil-service rules, public vetting and organizational stability.
City staff presented three options for filling the vacancy: a hybrid plan spanning current and future commissions, a delayed posting to wait for the next commission, and an expedited option that would post the position immediately with a compressed timeline to allow an internal candidate to assume the role sooner. "We are unique in Fargo in that we do have a civil service system," staff said while describing ordinance and chapter 7 recruitment requirements.
Multiple Fargo Police Department members and law-enforcement partners delivered letters of strong support for Interim Chief Travis Stefanowicz, describing his leadership, training work and regional partnerships. Jacob Maas, reading a letter from sergeants, said the supervisors "express our strong support for interim chief Travis Stefanowicz." North Dakota Highway Patrol Superintendent Daniel Haugen urged appointment, saying Stefanowicz "brings integrity, stability, and proven leadership at a time when it matters."
Commissioners split over process. Commissioner Thurnberg argued for speed, saying she had done ride-alongs and wanted to "speed up the selection process" to allow the interim chief to implement needed changes; other commissioners urged following civil-service norms and ensuring the public can weigh in. "It's our job to have due diligence and dot our i's and cross our t's," Commissioner Strand said, urging adherence to the established process.
A roll-call vote on the expedited motion (Option 2) recorded ayes from Holpack, Mahoney and Tranberg, and no votes from Pepp Cohen and Strand; the motion carried. Following the vote staff said the posting would proceed under the accelerated schedule set by the motion.
The commission recorded that the expedited schedule was intended to allow a potential internal appointment in mid-May while recognizing the legal requirements to post vacancies in the official newspaper and on bulletin boards. Commissioners who opposed the expedited timeline said the compressed schedule could reduce opportunities for public vetting and risk setting a precedent for other department-head hires.
No formal appointment of a permanent chief was recorded at the meeting; the motion authorized staff to proceed with the posting and selection timeline.
