Crew Camp Security | Video

Evan Kruegel | 8/8/2012

A fatal shooting in the Tioga area over the weekend has raised questions about the safety of crew camps in western North Dakota. But those who are there say it shouldn`t. Having so many people living in close quarters might sound like a recipe for disaster, but operators of crew camps in the region are confident in their security.

With 500 oil-workers living at the Target Logistics man camp, security has to be tight.

"The companies that house people here are paying very good money and they demand good service. They want to be able to house their people in a safe environment while they`re working here," said security guard Stephen McManus.

Among the list of things banned from the property are firearms, alcohol and even overnight guests. Management says with so much on the line, the workers have to be on their best behavior.

"It doesn`t matter. It`s zero tolerance. If we find a firearm, we`re going to report it to their boss and handle it like that. But if you have one, you`re not going to be able to live here," said Assistant Camp Manager Raymond Crump.

Something that`s become very common at crew camps in the region are entrance checkpoints. Every car must stop and check in, and every arrival is subject to a random search.

"They`re going to stop you and check and see who you are, what you`re doing here. They`re very polite but they want to make sure that you belong here," Crump said.

The majority of the residents at the camp have their rent covered by their employer. Many of these people came to the area to turn their lives around, and if they slip up once, they`re gone. Even workers with gun permits are told to leave those items back home.

"Most of the companies that have people here will prep them before they show up, so that tends to take care of a lot of potential problems before they arrive," McManus said.

Security officials say the public perception that crew camps are dangerous couldn`t be further from the truth. After a 12-hour shift, all these workers want to go is come home and have a safe place to sleep.

There are well over 2,000 workers living in crew camps in Williams County, but incidents like what happened last weekend at the Wanzek camp are very rare.

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