FARGO, N.D. — Cass County Sheriff Jesse Jahner is speaking out after his agency was criticized during a press conference held by Fargo Police Chief David Zibolski regarding the handling of a recent case involving artificial intelligence and the jailing of a Tennessee woman, Angela Lipps.
During the press conference, Zibolski stated that the Fargo Police Department was not properly notified when Lipps was booked into the Cass County Jail, leading to a delay in detectives interviewing her.
In a recent radio interview, Sheriff Jahner pushed back against the accusations, expressing frustration over how the situation was handled publicly and offering clarity on the notification protocols already in place.
"It does get a little frustrating... if you're going to have some accusations come towards your agency, it is nice to be able to be there and take questions from the media so that you can clear up any confusions," Jahner said, noting his disappointment at not being included in the press conference.
Jahner addressed the specific claim that the Cass County Sheriff's Office failed to notify Fargo Police about Lipps' incarceration, stating that notifications were, in fact, sent out:
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According to Jahner, his warrant support staff sent an email to the U.S. Marshal Service, a task force that the Fargo Police Department is a part of.
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A department-wide email containing Lipps' booking information was also sent to staff.
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Jahner emphasized that any agency can utilize the Law Enforcement Records Management System (LERMS) to place an alert on an individual. This shared computer-aided dispatch and records system allows investigators from any local agency to be immediately notified if a person of interest is brought into the facility.
"Those things are already in place," Jahner stated. "If our detectives are trying to learn of someone being brought into custody that they're interested in talking to, they put an alert into our LERMS system."
Jahner defended his staff, pointing out the sheer volume of individuals processed through the facility. The Cass County Jail books over 12,000 people a year and releases roughly 5,000 to 6,000 individuals annually. Because of this high volume, Jahner argued it is unreasonable to expect jail deputies to know the intricate details of every case or the specific needs of outside investigators without those investigators utilizing the established watch-list systems.
"It wasn't our case. None of our staff was aware of Miss Lipps prior to going to get her... we don't know anything about that case," Jahner explained. "At the end of the day, it's their responsibility. It's not West Fargo PD's responsibility, and it's not ours."
Despite the public friction caused by the press conference, Jahner maintained that the working relationships between Cass County, Fargo Police, and West Fargo Police remain strong. He highlighted a long history of collaboration among the region's law enforcement agencies and expressed optimism that they would move past this incident.
"We all want to work together. Don't get me wrong on that, we do want to do that," Jahner said. "But there are some mistakes made, and we gotta own up to it and we just gotta move on here."