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Editorial: Expand tribal police authority in Washington
Monday, February 11, 2008
Filed Under: Opinion

"As more and more non-Indians work, play and shop on tribal land, there is a serious imbalance in the legal ability to maintain law and order.

House Bill 2476, and a companion measure in the Senate, would give tribal police departments the authority to arrest non-Indians on tribal land. The legislation deals with the reality of skyrocketing contacts across economic and sovereign boundaries.The intent is straightforward. Tribal police officers would have the powers of any other Washington peace officer to enforce state laws and make arrests.

This effort boils down to a coherent way to enforce traffic and criminal laws inside tribal boundaries. A mix of landholdings, business and recreation activity, and criminal behavior by nontribal members on reservations cries out for a practical solution.

The authority of tribal police away from the reservations remains defined and proscribed, but legal clarity inside the boundaries is overdue. The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs has endorsed expanded authority for tribal peace officers.

Northwest tribes are good neighbors. Their economic progress is impressive, and this legislation fits their capacities and achievements."

Get the Story:
Editorial: Expand tribal police authority (The Seattle Times 2/11)

Get the Bill:
HB 2476 | SB 6524

Relevant Links:
Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs - http://www.waspc.org

Related Stories:
Washington bill expands tribal police authority (1/31)

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