The Spirit Lake Tribe and the North Dakota Highway Patrol signed a mutual aid agreement recently.

The agreement will enhance law enforcement in the areas of emergency calls, requests for mutual aid and other law enforcement functions on the Spirit Lake Reservation. The agreement does not expand arrest authority. It does provide a legal means for officers to intervene during certain situations regardless of tribal status until local law enforcement is available.

The agreement was signed during the Strengthening Government to Government Partnerships and Relationships Conference, hosted by the N.D Indian Affairs Commission in Bismarck June 13-14.