Sheriffs Across US Refusing to Send Police and Equipment to DAPL as Outrage and Costs GrowBy Claire Bernish A massive campaign of angry phone calls and indignant emails to departments planning to travel to North Dakota succeeded in persuading multiple sheriffs elected officials the brutal tactics used against peaceful Standing Rock Sioux and other water protectors have been a gross abuse of power. That law enforcement have employed disproportionate force against water protectors is irrefutable; and while Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier might technically be tasked with ensuring Dakota Access can proceed where legally permitted, he is indisputably responsible for protecting people exercising their First Amendment rights. Clearly, to the appalled constituents and people around the world voicing outrage against Morton County and other departments, officers have completely dismissed that protection and, instead, acted as a rogue standing army, intentionally targeting medics, journalists, and water protectors with everything from rubber bullets and tear gas, to icy water and concussion grenades. Sheriffs concerned about the heinous use of force not to mention, re-election have wisely reconsidered requests to join what has, in essence, become a war against Indigenous peoples interested only in preserving uncontaminated water for future generations. According to Yes! Magazines Jenni Monet, those considerations coupled with vocal public objections caused Montanas Gallatin County Sheriff Brian Gootkin to literally turn his detail around after they departed for North Dakota. I got messages from England, Poland, New Zealand, Australia, Gootkin said, according to Yes! Magazine. I wanted to go and help my fellow law enforcement. I just dont understand where we separated from the public. It really breaks my heart. We are not the enemy. Monet explains despite the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), which mandates law enforcement nationwide to lend assistance during emergencies or disasters, Governor Steve Bullock had concerns the agreement was being misused. A flood of callers and emailers doubted EMAC should apply to the protection of a private Big Oil companys pipeline, when it seemed more aptly suited for situations like natural disasters and the attacks of September 11, 2001. On November 14, Gootkin explained his decision not to join the Morton County Sheriffs Department in acting against the Standing Rock water protectors in a post to social media: Gootkin and the Gallatin County deputies never made it to North Dakota, but other departments briefly assisted the Morton County Sheriff, and then refused to complete planned rotations, pulled out, and never returned. Wisconsins Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney and his personnel lasted one week policing water protectors before public excoriation forced him to back out of completing a planned three-week rotating deployment. That group of officers left for good and no further personnel were deployed, as Mahoney told the Bismarck Tribune, All share the opinion that our deputies should not be involved in this situation. Many of the agencies helping to guard pipeline construction have received been lambasted in a furious backlash, and, according to Monet, the number of law enforcement agencies assisting Morton County has dwindled in some instances, because of the pipelines polarizing effect. Minnesotas Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek and his deputies were praised for their actions clearing what became known as the 1851 Treaty Camp on October 27. However, water protectors and independent journalists on the scene contend law enforcement brutalized water protectors, disrespectfully disassembled tipis, and refused to allow anyone to gather their belongings. Some claimed when they returned to the scene much later, officers had carelessly thrown tents, clothing, and other items in a pile, leaving all of it damaged and soaked in what seemed to be ammonia and urine. I do not have any control over the Sheriffs actions, which I think were wrong, Lt. Governor Tina Smith said in a statement cited by Yes! Magazine. I believe he should bring his deputies home, if he hasnt already. I strongly support the rights of all people to peacefully protest, including, tonight, the Standing Rock protest. Stanek felt differently and reiterated the nine-day deployment to North Dakota had been the right thing to do but, apparently succumbing to contention, the sheriff said his personnel would not return. In short, public pressure can be surprisingly effective. And in that vein, the American Civil Liberties Union compiled the most complete list to date using information provided officially and that from media reports of law enforcement departments assisting the Morton County Sheriff and pipeline construction. Some have since returned from those deployments while others may still be present in North Dakota. According to the Morton County Sheriffs Department at the beginning of November, 24 counties, 16 cities, and nine states have contributed over 1,300 law enforcement personnel and equipment since August 10. Links to news reports specifically naming departments have been included in the ACLUs list here. Considering the success of public outcry in forcing law enforcement to reconsider policing the Standing Rock movement to protect the water, following is the contact information from the websites for the appropriate North Dakota officials and law enforcement departments from all states, as listed by the ACLU. North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple 600 East Boulevard Avenue Bismarck, ND 58505-0100 701 328 2200 Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier 205 1st Ave NW Mandan, ND 58554 701 667 3330 kyle.kirchmeier@mortonnd.org NORTH DAKOTA Beulah Police Department 701 873 5252 beulahpd@westriv.com City of Bismarck Police Department 701 223 1212 Dickinson Police Department 701 456 7759 City of Fargo Police Department 701 241 1347 Hazen Police Department 701 748 2414 Jamestown Police Department 701 252 2414 Mandan Police Department Chief Jason J. Ziegler 701 667 3250 City of Minot Police Department Chief of Police Jason Olson 701 857 4715 jason.olson@minotnd.org Steele Police Department 701 475 2700 Grand Forks Police Department 701 787 8000 Williston Police Department 701 577 1212 Chief of Police James Lokken lokken@ci.williston.nd.us Rolla City Police 701 477 5623 West Fargo Police Department 701 433 5500 Wishek City Police Department 701 452 2469 Watford City Police Department 701 842 2280 701 444 2400 City of Grafton Police Department Chief of Police Anthony Dumas 701 352 1411 tgdumas@nd.gov Burleigh County Sheriff Department Sheriff Pat Heinert 701 222 6551 Cass County Sheriffs Department Sheriff Paul D. Laney 701 241 5800 Dunn County Sheriffs Department 701 573 4449 Emmons County Sheriffs Office Sheriff Gary Sanders 701 254 4411 McKenzie County Sheriffs Office 701 444 3654 McLean County Sheriffs Office Sheriff Jerry Kerzmann 701 462 8103 jkerzmann@nd.gov Mercer County Sheriffs Office 701 745 3333 Stark County Sheriffs Department Sheriff Terry Oestreich 701 456 7610 Stutsman County Sheriffs Office 701 252 9000 Ward County Sheriffs Department Sheriff Steve Kukowski 701 857 6500 Williams County Sheriffs Office Sheriff Scott Busching Williams County Law Enforcement 701 577 7700 Grand Forks County Sheriffs Department 701 780 8280 Divide County Sheriffs Department Sheriff Lauren W. Throntveit 701 965 6461 Kidder County Sheriffs Department Sheriff Brandt Weisenburger 701 475 2422 Grant County Sheriff [no phone listed] 106 2nd Ave. NE Carson, ND 58529 Bowman County Sheriffs Office Sheriff Rory M. Teigen 701 523 5421 Benson County Sheriffs Department Sheriff Steven Rohrer 701 473 5357 srohrer@nd.gov Burke County Sheriffs Department Sheriff Jeremy Grohs 701 377 2311 McIntosh County Sheriffs Office 701 288 5140 [ext. 7] Barnes County Sheriffs Office Sheriff Randy McClaflin 701 845 8530 Bottineau County Sheriff Department Sheriff Steve Watson 701 228 6720 steve.watson@co.bottineau.nd.us Logan County Sheriffs Department Sheriff Andrew Bartholomaus 701 754 2495 abartholomaus@nd.gov Traill County Sheriffs Department Sheriff Steve Hunt 701 636 4510 SOUTH DAKOTA Pennington County Sheriffs Office Sheriff Kevin Thom 605 394 6113 South Dakota Highway Patrol Division Headquarters 605 773 3105 LOUISIANA St. Charles Parish Sheriffs Office 985 783 6237 [staff directory] WISCONSIN Wisconsin State Patrol Division Headquarters Superintendent J.D. Lind Colonel Charles R. Teasdale 844 847 1234 Dane County Sheriffs Department Sheriff David J. Mahoney 608 284 6800 [main number] St. Croix County Sheriffs Office Sheriff John Shilts 715 381 4320 Rock County Sheriffs Office Sheriff Robert D. Spoden 608 757 7948 Marathon County Sheriffs Office Sheriff Scott Parks 715 261 1200 MINNESOTA Hennepin County Sheriffs Office Sheriff Richard W. Stanek 612 348 3744 Anoka County Sheriffs Office Sheriff James Stuart 763 323 5000 Washington County Sheriffs Office Sheriff William M. Hutton 651 439 9381 WYOMING Wyoming Highway Patrol 307 777 4301 Laramie County Sheriffs Department Sheriff Danny Glick 301 633 4700 Nebraska Nebraska State Patrol 402 471 4545 INDIANA Lake County Sheriffs Department Sheriff John Buncich 219 755 3333 Schererville Police Department 219 322 5000 Hammond Police Department Chief of Police John D Doughty 219 852 2900 Griffith Police Department 219 924 7503 Michigan City Police Department 219 874 3221 Munster Police Department Chief of Police Steve Scheckel 219 836 6655 Indiana Department of Natural Resources 877 463 6367 317 232 4200 Marion County Sheriffs Office Sheriff John R. Layton 317 327 1700 Brookville Police Department 765 647 4178 Porter County Sheriffs Department 219 477 3000 LaPorte County Sheriffs Office 800 548 5374 219 326 7700 Jasper County Sheriffs Department 219 866 4950 Newton County Sheriffs Office Sheriff Thomas VanVleet 219 474 3331 OHIO Ohio State Highway Patrol [no non-emergency phone number provided] wwwohp@dps.ohio.gov Claire Bernish writes for TheFreeThoughtProject.com, where this article first appeared. Support your Constitutional Sheriffs!!! This issue is not an emergency and does not require other forces. The pipeline is a private enterprise and should hire its own police to safe guard its building. It is like a train being built it is not the state that should supply police, but the company building the train. Dont let that company use public police to safe guard their project. The should pay for their own safety. If law enforcement offices refuse to send manpower and equipment, charge them with obstruction of justice in the federal courts. If your private business is threatened by people, you will ask law enforcement for help, that is what they are paid for. OK sheeple, who is paying these people to be there???? 