Professional Accountability Unit
The Fargo Police Department's Professional Accountability Unit (PAU) ensures the quality and integrity of police services to the community. The unit consists of a sergeant who is overseen by a lieutenant. This staff model ensures for a quick and consistent review of use of force, pursuits, and high liability incidents from both a policy and training perspective, as well as increase accountability internally and externally.
This office welcomes citizen feedback about its officers. If one of our officers did an exceptional job in handling a situation, please let us know. We also want to hear from you if you have concerns about poor performance involving a member of our department.
How the Professional Accountability Unit Works
It is the intention of the Fargo Police Department to balance openness and accessibility in receiving complaints with fairness and respect for its employees. The complaint process is not a mechanism for retaliation, spurious claims, personal vendettas or petty grievances. The purpose of the process is to provide citizens, as well as members of the department, with the opportunity to resolve problems, protect individual rights, assure high-quality and consistent service, and ensure improved employee and departmental performance when necessary.
The PAU works closely with the Training and Development Unit. Much of what the department sees regarding incident reviews or complaints has a lot to do with training issues or needs, versus discipline or internal investigative needs. Marrying these two units together provides a mechanism for the lieutenants to review incidents quickly, and determine whether a discipline or training issue exists. They are then able to put together necessary and appropriate training plans or address it through the disciplinary process.
Complaint Process
Complaints will be thoroughly investigated. You may be asked to provide additional information, answer questions, explain your concerns or give feedback on how you think your complaint may be resolved.
Depending on the complexity of the case and the current workload of the staff, some investigations may take longer than others. Every reasonable effort will be made to complete the investigation within 90 days. Many complaints are resolved in a shorter period of time. You are welcome to call the Office of Professional Standards any time to get an updated status of the complaint.
When the investigation is completed, you will be notified of the outcome. Completed investigations are submitted to the Office of the Chief of Police for further action if appropriate.
Professional Accountability Unit Reports
The vision of the Fargo Police Department is a safe and unified community built on trust, accountability and inclusion. The department’s Mid-Year Professional Accountability Unit Report includes information regarding use of force, incident reviews, and personnel complaints with the hope of providing greater transparency of our practices and maintaining public trust. Our officers answer hundreds of calls for service each day with very few resulting in use of force or personnel complaints.
View the 2021 Mid-Year Professional Accountability Unit Report