Morton County Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier learned of the US Army Corp of Engineers’ decision to deny the final easement of the Dakota Access Pipeline project in North Dakota and determine an alternate route.

“I have stated from the beginning that the easement is a federal decision and local law enforcement does not have an opinion on it,” Sheriff Kirchmeier said. “Our role is to enforce the law and that is what we will continue to do.”

Morton County Law Enforcement honored its commitment to relocate further north from the Backwater Bridge to create space between law enforcement and protestors. Law Enforcement will maintain its new position only if the protestors adhere to the conditions outlined.

“That heavy presence is gone now and I really hope in this de-escalation they’ll see that, and in good faith…the leadership in those camps will start squashing the violent factions,” Cass County Sheriff’s Office Paul Laney said.

Any violation of the conditions will show that protestors have chosen to be aggressors by violating the law, and it will result in their arrest.