Morton County Sheriff's Office responds to reports of 'dog kennels' used to incarcerate protesters

In their press conference Saturday morning, Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Chairman Dave Archambault and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Chairman Harold Frazier said protesters arrested by police have been mistreated.

Frazier claimed some were kept in "dog kennels."

A spokesperson with the Morton County Sheriff's Department sent this statement via email in response.

"Temporary holding cells (chain link fences) have been installed into the Morton County Correctional Center and are used for “mass arrest” situations only. They are temporary until the Correctional Center can get them processed into our facility or transferred to another facility in North Dakota. The temporary housing units have been inspected and approved by the ND Department of Corrections which has oversight over all county correctional centers in ND. While there they have access to bathroom facilities, meals and drinking water. If any medical situations arise they are addressed by a medical or nursing staff on site. Morton County Correctional Center has room for only 42 inmates and during a mass arrest arrangements have been made to transport to other jails. When a person is arrested and arrives at the jail, trained staff conduct a visual assessment, are patted down when they are admitted and all items and property are collected and placed in a bag which is returned when they leave."