The ACLU of North Dakota filed open records requests seeking information about the policing practices and possible use of surveillance technology by the Morton County Sheriff’s Department and North Dakota Highway Patrol related to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests. The open records requests were made to aid us in in our investigation into whether there are constitutional violations related to the law enforcement agencies’ policing and surveillance monitoring of DAPL protests.
The use of highway roadblocks and checkpoints, and militarized equipment by law enforcement in response to DAPL protests and the numerous reports of unwarranted stops by police sent to our office from individuals prompted the records requests.
Download the letters to the Morton County Sheriff's Department and the North Dakota Highway Patrol below:
