As a Bismarck resident, I’ve been watching this rapid growth and influx of people with a keen interest. Not everybody that comes here leaves their problems behind. That means being on the lookout for any potential increases in crime, domestic abuse, or illegal drugs.

As an example I’ll use a two hour interview I did with a federal gang and narcotics expert a while back. He described how the gangs work their way to rural areas, even to the point of doing “market research” to pinpoint areas prone to addiction such as reservation communities. He elaborated on how they can track the tendrils of the gang infestation by even the taggers spraying graffiti in these neighborhoods. There’s been a bit of tagging going on in the Bismarck-Mandan area lately, by the way.

I’m not being xenophobic about it, just employing a healthy caution. People should be welcomed to North Dakota but also clued in that we expect a certain level of personal conduct. That “Prairie Sensibility” we’re known for doesn’t have to be crowded out by a surge of population growth.

Clint
BismarckMandanBlog.com