The Coeur d'Alene Tribe says Benewah County, Idaho went back on its word to reach a law enforcement agreement.

The tribe and the county announced an agreement in principle in March to resolve cross-deputization, jurisdiction and other issues. The tribe signed the deal immediately but the county responded with a counter-proposal.

“There was a deal, they agreed to it, and now they’re not,” tribal spokesperson Marc Stewart told The Spokesman Review.

The county claims the tribe changed certain provisions of the agreement before signing it. But Vaughn Killeen, the executive director of the Idaho Sheriff's Association, which helped draft the deal, said that wasn't true.

“We thought we had a deal. We thought it was over. All they had to do was sign it," Killeen told the paper. "Now there’s all kinds of changes. I’m not happy with it.”

Get the Story:
Policing dispute flares in North Idaho (The Spokesman Review 4/22)

Relevant Documents:
DOC: State and Indian Tribal Law Enforcement Act

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Coeur d'Alene Tribe, county agree on law enforcement (3/18)
Counties opposing Coeur d'Alene law enforcement bill (3/5)
Coeur d'Alene Tribe at odds with county over police (02/11)
Coeur d'Alene Tribe law enforcement bill introduced (2/10)
Editorial: Sheriff wrong about Coeur d'Alene policing (2/8)
Coeur d'Alene law enforcement bill stirs controversy (02/05)
Editorial: Back tribal arrest authority over non-Indians (2/3)