Listen to interim Fargo Police Chief interview with Flag Family News Reporter Chris Larson
FARGO, N.D. – Fargo’s interim police chief got his start in Fargo as a dispatcher at the Red River Regional Dispatch Center.
“So many years ago, they were looking for dispatchers and I thought that that was a way to get my foot in the door,” Travis Stefonowicz said. “So that was a really great experience. In fact, I still encourage people to go up to the dispatch center to see the absolute wonderful work that they do up there because they are inundated with calls and decisions in a very short period of time.”
Now, Stefonowicz has been named the interim chief of the Fargo Police Department after former chief David Zibolski retired after more than five years of service with the department.
Support from the law enforcement community
He says he’s received a lot of support from local law enforcement leaders.
“I’ve had the other chiefs and sheriffs locally reach out with their support,” Stefonowicz said. “Sheriff Jahner is very supportive, Chief Helmick over in Moorhead (is) very supportive, Chief Nielsen also (is) supportive.
He says it’s a team effort across the metro to do policing work.
“Having those partners in all of this, because that’s what it takes, it takes all of us,” Stefonowicz said. “We’ve got a large community with a lot of complex issues.”
Stance on changes
While admitting there are changes he would like to make within the Fargo Police Department, he says he’s hesitant to institute them.
“I don’t want to have to have our staff members go through all that change, and then go through another abrupt change,” Stefonowicz said of a potential different leader than him.
He says he’s content listening.
“I’m going to meet with all of the staff individually, and in their work groups, and just listen,” he said. “Ask them questions about what it is that I need to know right now that maybe I hadn’t had the opportunity to hear before.”
Future plans
Stefonowicz tells Flag Family News he’s applying to become Fargo Police chief.
“I will be putting in to be the next police chief,” he said. “And then the rest will be up to the process and the selection committee.”
Stefonowicz says the department is much like a family.
“We’ve spent a lot of time together,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of professional successes, and we’ve had a lot of, a handful of, dark times as well.”
Engaging with the community
Stefonowicz wants the community to become involved in the department through its regular beat meetings.
“That’s your opportunity to meet with our staff and engage with them,” he said. “Maybe learn a little about some of the statistics or crime trends and what you can do to help us prevent that.”
Stefonowicz said the community’s support greatly impacts his department’s efforts.
“If we have everybody in the community engaged in our crime prevention efforts and things of that nature, boy, we’re a tough team to beat then,” he said.
Stefonowicz took over as interim chief after being appointed earlier this week.
