Fargo, N.D. – As the future of the current Fargo police chief hangs in the balance, a city commissioner predicts it won’t be long before a change is made.
“I’d say it’s very unlikely that Chief [David] Zibolski will keep his job,” City Commissioner David Piepkorn told The Flag on Wednesday.
Listen: City Commissioner Dave Piepkorn’s interview on The Flag
Zibolski has come under fire for how the response to two shootings was handled.
The two connected instances of gun violence happened just minutes apart, leaving two dead and two injured in the early morning hours of Sunday August 3rd.
While information trickled out from the city’s communications department via written statements that day, Zibolski and Mayor Tim Mahoney sent out their own first joint written statement some 15 hours later.
The two city leaders have been criticized for not speaking publicly the day of the shootings, either at the scene or in some capacity in the city.
And the first in-person press conference didn’t take place until the following Monday afternoon.
“It was a disaster for both of them,” said Piepkorn, “Clearly the mayor runs the show but clearly he doesn’t and that’s an equal concern.”
While believing a leadership change should be made with both positions, Piepkorn says he wants to see something done first with the police department.
Piepkorn says he’ll propose a vote be taken at the next City Commission meeting on August 18th to determine Zibolski’s future.
“I’m guessing between now and then, basically it’s a negotiation of how he [Zibolski] can either resign or be fired,” said Piepkorn.
