Sen. Cramer Honors Fallen Fargo Officer Jake Wallin on Senate Floor

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) delivered remarks on the Senate floor in remembrance of Fargo Police Officer Jake Wallin, who was killed in the line of duty on July 14, 2023.

“While we are slowly learning the details of this senseless and tragic day, we know Officer Wallin is a hero who died serving his community. Heroes like Jake bravely respond to the call and serve without hesitating, without knowing what might be around the corner or the end of the parking lot,” said Senator Cramer.

The speech as prepared for delivery can be viewed below.

Tomorrow, thousands of people will gather at Scheels Arena in Fargo, North Dakota, to pay tribute to a hero. I wish I could be there to celebrate a life well lived while far too short. Fargo Police Officer Jake Wallin was laid to rest on Saturday in the small Midwest town of Pequot Lakes, Minnesota. 

Eleven days ago, on July 14, 2023, Officer Wallin was killed as he and fellow officers Andrew Dotas, Tyler Hawes, and Zachary Robinson responded to the scene of a routine fender bender, where they were ambushed by an uninvolved assailant armed with several weapons, 1800 rounds of ammunition, and multiple homemade explosive devices, clearly intent on going on a murder spree. Officer Robinson, the last cop standing, swiftly responded to neutralize the threat, fatally shooting the hate-filled killer.

Officer Wallin was murdered for being a cop, a peace officer helping ordinary folks in need of assistance—a lifelong public servant gunned down simply because of the uniform he wore. He has been, is, and will forever be, a hero to our community.

Jake grew up in St. Michael, Minnesota and enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard after graduating from high school. He served our country on deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan before returning home and joining the Fargo Police Department in April of this year.

At just 23, he knew more than most about the true meaning of service as he put his life on the line to protect our community and nation.

Like so many boys and girls, Jake wanted to be a police officer more than anything. In fact, his father Jeff said in an interview that he “could never have stopped him” from joining the force. He always wanted a job with purpose behind it and said he didn’t want to work behind a desk. He said, quote, “I want to be doing something that I can tell myself at the end of the day, that I made a difference somehow.” 

That is the quote of an American Hero, Mr. President.

We need more people like Jake, ready to answer the call.

In the time since Officer Wallin’s passing, Fargo hardware stores have experienced a phenomenon many outside of North Dakota would find baffling. Across the city, stores are almost completely sold out of blue light bulbs as people rush out to purchase them and light their porches and homes blue in support of Jake and the Fargo Police Department. 

I wish every state were like North Dakota and every American had the same respect and admiration for our law enforcement officers. In our neck of the woods, we pass these values down to our children as we teach them the importance of law and order and hope to inspire them to be like Officer Wallin, protecting and serving our communities.

Our actions matter, whether we want to acknowledge it or not. The end result of ruthless attacks on the men and women in uniform, whether with words, actions, or calls to defund the police have never been clearer than what transpired in Fargo. We do not know the assailant’s motive, but it is abundantly clear he singled out the officers in his pursuit of a sick, twisted plan to wreak havoc in our community.

While we are slowly learning the details of this senseless and tragic day, we know Officer Wallin is a hero who died serving his community. Heroes like Jake bravely respond to the call and serve without hesitating, without knowing what might be around the corner or the end of the parking lot.

Kris and I are praying for the recovery of fellow Officers Andrew Dotas and Tyler Hawes as well as bystander Karlee Koswick and the entire Fargo Police Department and fellow officers throughout our community and country.

We also pray that God’s peace, the “peace that passes all understanding” will come to Jake’s fiancée Winter, his parents Jeff and Amy, his brother Brady, and his brothers and sisters in blue as they mourn his loss.