A human rights group is setting up shop in Benewah County, Idaho, where officials have refused to negotiate a law enforcement agreement with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.

Christina Crawford used to serve on the county commission. Now she plans to use the Benewah Human Rights Coalition to educate people about disputes like the one with the tribe.

"One of the things that has been so frustrating about that is that there was basically no need for the upset," Crawford told The Coeur d'Alene Press. "It could have been negotiated, but there really wasn't any good will to negotiate it, and in my opinion it became completely out of proportion. The average person wasn't given accurate information about the situation."

A bill to grant policing powers to the tribe failed in the Idaho House by one vote in February.

Get the Story:
Human rights panel prepares for action (The Coeur d'Alene Press 4/14)

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