Commissioners in Glacier County, Montana, agreed to pull out of a law enforcement agreement with the Blackfeet Nation.

The commissioners will hold public hearings and discuss the agreement before taking further action. The move came after being warned of a lawsuit by a local newspaper and warnings from the county attorney.

"All the county is doing is fixing a formality," d Henry Devereaux, acting director of the Blackfeet Department of Public Safety, told The Great Falls Tribune. "We're going to hammer out some more of these issues, make it workable, let it go back on the temporary path and then make a long-lasting agreement."

The agreement, hailed as historic, allows tribal officers to enforce state law against non-Indians and county deputies to enforce tribal law on the reservation.

Get the Story:
County nixes cross-deputization deal (The Great Falls Tribune 8/27)
Glacier County Commissioners 'reluctantly' rescind temporary cross-deputization agreement (The Glacier Reporter 8/27)
Publishers support idea of agreement, but ask county to adhere to open meeting laws (The Glacier Reporter 8/27)

Related Stories:
County warned against Blackfeet police deal (08/12)
Editorial: Legal issues for Blackfeet policing (8/11)
Blackfeet Nation signs law enforcement deal (8/7)
Delay for Blackfeet Nation law enforcement deal (7/21)
Blackfeet Nation reaches law enforcement deal (7/17)
Editorial: Progress on Blackfeet law enforcement (7/16)
Blackfeet Nation reaches law enforcement deal (7/15)
US Attorney in Montana seeks more crime data (7/13)