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Suspicious Acitivty

Whether you live or work within the City of Fargo or are simply passing through, the Fargo Police Department encourages you to report suspicious activity. The first step in preventing crime is to take away the opportunity. One way of taking away opportunity is to report suspicious activity. Here are a few guidelines:

  • If you are reporting a crime-in-progress, emphasize that point first when talking with the dispatcher. Then, stay on the phone to give the dispatcher all additional information. If you want to be contacted by the responding officer, please tell the dispatcher.
  • If you see a suspicious person, watch him or her carefully. Suspicious circumstances are not always considered criminal in nature. If you see activity that you deem “suspicious,” please call police dispatch to report it and include why you think it is suspicious. The dispatcher might not be aware of recent crimes in your area, of which you are familiar. The response time can be extended depending on the time of day, number of calls for service, and information you give the dispatcher.
  • If you see an unfamiliar vehicle parked on your street, record the license number and description of the vehicle if possible. If the vehicle is occupied and the occupant(s) appears suspicious, call 9.1.1..

If you are not sure whether your call is an emergency, call 9.1.1.. The operator will tell you what to do or refer you to a business line.

If you know your call is not an emergency, then call 701.451.7660.

Residents are the “eyes and ears” of their local law enforcement agency and are a vital part of fighting crime effectively. Only by joining together can we reduce the opportunity for a crime to occur and help each other make Fargo a safer place to live.

Some of these activities could be innocent—it's up to law enforcement to determine whether the behavior warrants investigation. The activities above are not all-inclusive but have been compiled based on studies of pre-operational aspects of both successful and thwarted terrorist events over several years.


How to Report Suspicious Activity

Public safety is everyone's responsibility. If you see suspicious activity, call the Fargo Police Department immediately.

Describe specifically what you observed, including:

  • Who or what you saw;
  • When you saw it;
  • Where it occurred; and
  • Why it's suspicious.

Do not report suspicious activity through this website, tip line, or social media pages as they are not monitored 24/7.