Former Fargo police officer likely won’t be charged for actions during May 30 riots

A former Fargo police officer won’t be charged after an internal investigation stated he may have been carrying a beer and shouting profanities about the police during the May 30 riots.

Former Deputy Chief Todd Osmundson resigned earlier this month after he was suspended for a week.

According to an internal report, Osmundson went undercover on May 30 without receiving permission from anyone at the Fargo Police Department violating the agency’s rules.

Osmundson admitted in the report to carrying a beer can and shouting f*** the police in downtown Fargo as numerous businesses were vandalized and looted. More than a dozen people have been arrested in connection to that.

Police Chief David Todd said Osmundson’s actions don’t warrant further criminal investigation and the matter is closed.

The group One Fargo and the local chapter of Black Lives Matter accused Fargo police of illegally surveilling them during the May 30 event, which began as a peaceful protest in the morning but at night turned violent.

A report by the Fargo Police Department’s Internal Affairs debunked that notion saying Osmundson acted alone in his actions to go undercover.

Below is the full statement Chief Todd released to Valley News Live:

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According to the investigation, Osmundson may have carried an empty beer can and uttered profanity. In criminal investigations involving its personnel, the Fargo Police Department process would be to refer the matter to the ND BCI for further investigation, if warranted.

As the Chief, at this point I have determined the actions taken by former Deputy Chief Osmundson do not warrant further criminal investigation, because of the fact others engaging in similar conduct in plain view on May 30 were also not investigated. No citations were issued, no arrests were made and no referrals for charge-out were made for any such violations. Thus, unless there is further information developed, this will continue to stay in the category of an employment issue that has been addressed and there will be no further review for possible charges against Todd Osmundson from the events on May 30, 2020.