McLean officers aid in protest control
BY ALYSSA MEIER
Editor
The McLean County Sheriff’s Office was called upon last week to provide support in during ongoing protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline.
McLean County, along with other law enforcement agencies around the state, was asked to aid in protest control by Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier. Kirchmeier estimated that over 2,000 protesters have gathered in Morton County recently at the construction site of the Dakota Access Pipeline.
“They said they needed some help keeping things under control,” McLean County Sheriff J.R. Kerzmann said.
Kerzmann said he sent two men to the protests on Friday, and six more on Saturday.
The protests, which have remained mostly peaceful, are being spearheaded mainly by members of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. Tribe members say that the pipeline, which is supposed to be completed and operational by the end of the year, would severely harm sacred waters of the Missouri River.
