The Clearwater County Sheriff has been doing an exemplary job of maintaining the peace along Enbridge's Line 3 corridor, providing a lesson other counties might consider as they work to maintain peace.
As water protectors gather at the Mississippi River valley where Enbridge proposes its first undercutting of the mighty river, we consistently see a welcoming and gentle law enforcement presence, which has generated goodwill with citizens from around the state.
Arriving at these gatherings for ceremony and celebration, Sheriff Darin Halverson quietly and effectively engages the public in a friendly way. By coming alone, in a simple sheriff’s SUV, he does not create a presence of excessive force but one of courteous protection.
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In comparison to confrontational actions we’ve seen in Aitkin County at the second proposed Mississippi River crossing on the Line 3 pipeline route, Sheriff Halverson provides a comforting law enforcement presence that assures citizens an ability to peacefully engage in their First Amendment rights.
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Intelligent policing involves a focus on de-escalation and equitable protections. Sheriff Halverson provides a great example of good policing by maintaining a peaceful presence. He does not escalate with an over-the-top police response for a simple traffic control situation on a not so busily traveled roadway in the quiet part of his county.
Thank you, Sheriff Darin, for your kind, humane and intelligently implemented law enforcement techniques. I look forward to you maintaining a peaceful presence at the little bridge over the Mississippi.
