Fargo police are holding a ceremony and adding nine new officers to their staff

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – The new and improved Fargo Police Department, which just completed 18 weeks of training, has made nine interceptions, a new record.

“We are extremely proud of this group. Our academy lasted eighteen weeks, so this is by far the longest training any of our academy students have received,” said Fargo Police Sergeant Ian Kristan.

The work done makes recruits become as strong as they can be. Officer Chloe Bartles joins the force at a time when women make up a small percentage of law enforcement.

“I’m not in the best shape, but I really keep fit. Eighteen weeks is a long time and we’re really close, so that helped a lot,” Bartles said.

Getting yourself in the best shape makes you stronger, but it also makes you memorable.

“I would say my favorite moment is definitely being stunned. This is the most important moment in my life. It’s five seconds, but it’s five seconds slow,” said O’Shane West, a newly recruited officer with the Fargo Police Department.

What this milestone means for officers personally, as in the case of Officer West, who hopes to bring more diversity to the force in Fargo.

“I can’t even find the words because now I’m part of the change. The change that is happening and the change that is about to come,” West said.

Each position has its own role, which comes down to protecting the streets.

“It takes the entire department to get everyone ready for the streets. It’s not one person, it’s not one team or unit, it’s the whole agency,” Kristan said.

Sergeant Kristan says one of the reasons the police academy extended training from last year was to better prepare new recruits for street work.