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Police outline downtown plan; COPS grant staffing shortfall delays dedicated officers
Summary
Grand Forks Police presented a downtown safety plan built on enforcement, education/engagement and environment, and said the COPS grant funds depend on reaching a staffing threshold (98 officers); the department reported it currently has 95, so grant-funded downtown officers are unlikely to be in place this summer.
Chief Friedman told the council Feb. 17 the police department has developed a downtown safety plan focused on three areas: enforcement, education and engagement, and environment. "What we're focusing on is public safety and quality of life," he said, and described lessons learned from last year and planned town‑hall engagement with businesses and service providers.
Friedman highlighted new camera infrastructure in Town Square that will help monitoring and investigations and can trigger automatic warnings or dispatch. He credited the department’s data analyst, Alexi Purdy, for targeting enforcement resources. On staffing, the chief said the department’s COPS grant covers officer slots numbered 99–101 but those slots cannot be used until the department reaches 98 officers; he reported current staffing at 95 and cautioned that training time means dedicated downtown neighborhood officers likely will not be in place for this summer.
When asked how long the grant remains available, Friedman said the department has about four years to spend the money and some flexibility in how costs are paced as long as grant limits and officer‑count rules are observed. Councilmember Wasowski asked whether the city owns the Town Square cameras and requested a list of all city‑funded cameras and how they are used; staff said the IT director (Adam) and other departments, including transit and UND, have cameras and that staff will compile a list while protecting security details.
The chief also warned of potential displacement—"splatter effect"—if enforcement pushes behaviors out of Town Square into ramps or riverfront areas and said the department will work with stakeholders to identify and mitigate those movement patterns.
Council members signaled support for the plan’s principles but noted limitations tied to staffing and training timelines. Chief Friedman and staff committed to follow up with the requested camera inventory and to continue community meetings ahead of summer deployments.
