North Dakota Requests Help From Twin Cities Law Enforcement

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) has confirmed rumors circulating online about Twin Cities law enforcement agencies assisting North Dakota as state officials are engaged in a property fight against the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Hennepin County officials said in a news release Monday that the Twin Cities agencies are assisting "in maintaining the public’s safety, preserve the peace, and protect the constitutional rights of protesters" in North Dakota.

North Dakota will provide reimbursement for expenses related to this service, officials say.

FOX 4 reported that the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is trying to stop construction on a $3.8 billion oil pipeline known as the Dakota Access Pipeline. More than 220 people have been arrested since protests of the pipeline first began in August.

The statement from the HCSO listed several law enforcement agencies from the Twin Cities that are assisting in North Dakota:

At the request of the State of North Dakota, and as approved by the State of Minnesota, on Sunday, Minnesota Sheriff’s Deputies from the Hennepin, Anoka, and Washington Counties’ Sheriff’s Offices were deployed to assist in Morton County, North Dakota. These deputies are part of a larger contingent of hundreds of law enforcement officers from around the Country who have responded to the request made through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, (“EMAC”), a nationally adopted system for sharing personnel and resources via state-to-state aid agreements.

These deputies are part of a larger contingent of hundreds of law enforcement officers from around the Country who have responded to the request made through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, (“EMAC”), a nationally adopted system for sharing personnel and resources via state-to-state aid agreements.

These Sheriff’s deputies train and prepare to respond to emergency calls throughout the region, state and nation following any declaration of a state of emergency.

The HCSO's statement on EMAC came after photos allegedly showing Twin Cities law enforcement vehicles near the Standing Rock Native American Reservation were widely-shared on social media over the weekend.

On Sunday, the Minneapolis police denied that its own department had sent any officers to the Standing Rock Native American Reservation in North Dakota. Minneapolis police told Patch that the original social media post making allegations that specifically mentioned the MPD has been taken down.

The HCSO did not return an email from Patch seeking comment Monday.

Image via Tony Webster, Flickr, used under Creative Commons