Idaho tribe wants to fight non-Indian crime
January 30th, 2010
The Coeur d’Alene Tribe in Idaho has proposed legislation to give tribal police the authority to arrest or cite non-tribal citizens and send them to state court.
Backers say the State and Indian Tribal Cooperative Law Enforcement Act would close a loophole that allows suspects to avoid justice on reservations.
If approved tribal officers would be able to arrest non-tribal citizmns in Benewah County inside the Coeur d’Alene Reservation.
The tribe has not had that authority since a cross-deputization agreement between the tribe and the county ended in 2006.
Opponents in Benewah County say the proposed legislation is unconstitutional.
February 5th, 2010 21:14
I have trained with members of this agency and actually spoke with the chief. I believe them to be a professional and ethical agency. However I don’t feel the same way about other tribal agencies in the state. There are other changes that I feel should happen first. I think the hiring practices at some of tribal agencies should be cleaned up. I also think that crimes by tribal members on the reservation should be reported to the state just as any other citizen. Then I would support this cause.