Fergus Falls Police Department swears in first female officer since 2022
Wendt joined the Fergus Falls Police Department as its first female officer since 2022, adding coverage as the city continues recruiting and staffing up.
Wendt was sworn in as the newest officer for the Fergus Falls Police Department, becoming the first female officer to join the department since 2022. Her addition comes at a time when the city is still looking to strengthen patrol coverage and keep the force fully staffed.
The hire matters because one officer affects far more than a single badge and uniform. In Fergus Falls, a new sworn officer can ease response demands, support neighborhood patrols, help with traffic stops and investigations, and add another trained presence for community calls across the city.
The department has also been in a period of broader change at the top. Justin Paul was announced as the new Fergus Falls police chief on July 21, 2025, and Mayor Anthony Hicks later swore him in on Monday night. Wendt’s swearing-in adds another personnel change to a department that has been working through leadership turnover while also adding officers.
Fergus Falls is not a large metro force with deep staffing reserves. A city police chief position brochure describes the city as having about 14,000 residents, roughly three hours from the Twin Cities and about an hour from Fargo, North Dakota. That scale helps explain why every hiring decision can have an outsized effect on daily policing, from routine traffic enforcement to longer-term community outreach.
The department also carries a long institutional history. The Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial Association lists the Fergus Falls Police Department in its records and notes one line-of-duty death for the agency. Against that backdrop, a new officer is both a practical addition and part of the department’s continuing effort to sustain its workforce.
Recruitment has been a visible issue as well. KVRR reported that the department was to add an additional officer, and another report said Fergus Falls police were looking for nontraditional candidates to join the team. Wendt’s hiring fits that push, while also marking a representation milestone that had not been reached since 2022.
The Fergus Falls Police Department maintains a publicly posted city webpage, and the latest swearing-in shows the department still rebuilding and adapting as it balances coverage, recruitment, and the day-to-day demands of policing in Otter Tail County.
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