Some comments by Public Law 280 reservation residents who do not say that county
police are properly focused include:
Running people in and collecting money.
I know they have a Drug Task Force for off the reservation. But they know that
that is what happens, and they know that this is the biggest problem. Well, I can’t
speak for them, but it almost seems like they feel that, “Well, that is their
problem.” That is the way they are. They are all on drugs, and so it’s going to
happen. And so, they just don’t seem to worry about it like I feel they should.
I think they try to ignore the reservation as much as possible, and they pay more
attention to the casino and whatever crime occurs there. … When crimes do
occur, they immediately have somebody there.
I think, for the most part, just from my perspective, they simply focus on coming
out and making arrests.
I don’t think that there is a good effort, like I said, to be
more proactive and community oriented, and curtailing some things.
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This document is a research report submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice. This report has not
been published by the Department. Opinions or points of view expressed are those of the author(s)
and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.
I don’t think they are being proactive and educating the community. I think that
they are perpetually keeping probation violators in jail. I think they have a system
… it’s like a cycle. They start with these young kids, and it just escalates. It
continues. Then they are adults, and they are in the system.
Nothing (no police focus) ... here on the reservation? Nothing. … Right.
Warrant… somebody that is wanted by them. They will jump on that. They are
usually quick about that. But I mean, they don’t actually come out here and look
for their wanted people either.
I don’t know. All I could tell you is what I see. I see them driving around the
highway really fast. They break the speed laws more than anybody. ...
So, what
do they concentrate on? I see them apprehending people, because I come to work,
and I have to pass the substation, so I see people coming in and out. So, why are
they apprehending them? I don’t know.
They really don’t. I don’t see them having a focus. I see them reacting to people
that break the law versus trying to educate, trying to see what they could do to
prevent. I don’t see that at all … I don’t see them having priorities or goals. I
look at them reacting.
Basically, it’s just crime. They are not involved in any community activities; they
are not in any after-school project with kids.
Of not enforcing the law … just driving through real fast and not doing a lot of
anything ... just letting everything go ...
I think, number one, it’s whether or not an Indian did the crime, seems to be the
focus. Without looking at other possibilities … I think they automatically assume
…
I think really they are reactive, and pretty much everything, most of the activity,
that I see them do on the reservation is responding to calls for service. Rarely will
you see them actually patrolling on the reservation. A lot of times, they arrest
members for warrants, and a lot of that is drug and alcohol related …. So it’s
reactive in terms of responding to calls.
They are usually here if they are called. I don’t think they really patrol. The
sheriff has to because there are county roads and stuff. I don’t really see them
actually on patrol.
They focus on the complaint. They only come when they are called. This isn’t a
patrol area for them, and it never has been.
