Williston Annexation Jurisdiction - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Williston Annexation Jurisdiction

Law enforcement jurisdictions near Williston have been resolved.
Land that was recently annexed into Williston was cause for a miscommunication between city officials and officers earlier this month.
Law enforcement expected the primary jurisdiction to change on February first but it did not change until papers were officially recorded February fourth.

The Williams County Sheriffs department will still have jurisdiction in the newly acquired area but primary jurisdiction changes hands to the Williston Police Department.
Police officers will take on patrol duties and receive calls for assistance.
Williams County Sheriff Scott Busching says the people did not suffer because of the misunderstanding --- he credits the long-time cooperation of the two departments.

(Sheriff Scott Busching, Williams County) "Between the Williston Police Department and the Williams County Sheriffs Office, the geopolitical lines have always been pretty blurred. Because of the need, we don't do a lot of turf guarding up here. We cover for each other anyway. We'll still be helping them out and they go outside the city limits to help us out. So I don't see a big change."

Sheriff Busching adds more land can now be patrolled with the adage of the police department.