"The San Manuel, Morongo and Soboba tribes are banding with Native American leaders from as far away as Canada to come up with ways to reduce gang and drug crimes on their reservations - an admirable admission that problems exist and good first step toward fixing them.

These are challenging times for many tribes, which, thanks to gaming, find themselves with riches beyond their wildest dreams, and all the problems that go with that. These include rising drug-related crimes and gang activity, which threaten both the tribes' livelihood and quality of life.

"We just decided we have to declare a war on drugs on our Indian country," said Robert "Bobby" Salgado, chairman of the Soboba Band of Luise o Indians in Hemet. "We tribal leaders need to stand up and address the issue instead of putting it aside."

In May, 40 tribal leaders from as far away as Canada met at the San Manuel Reservation near Highland in the first of several meetings the new coalition is planning. Their focus is on developing intervention and prevention programs for tribal youth, including incentives for them to earn their high school diplomas or GEDs. "

Get the Story:
Editorial: Tribes take stand against crime (Inland Newspapers 5/31)

Related Stories:
County official blames Soboba leaders for violence (5/30)
County sheriff hopes to improve tribal relations (5/29)
Soboba Band meets with county sheriff again (5/23)
Soboba Band meets county after fatal shootings (5/19)
Soboba Band plans to sue county over shootings (5/16)
Soboba couple killed while hiding from police (5/15)
Column: Law and disorder on Soboba Reservation (5/15)
Soboba chair cites 'war' against county 'calvary' (5/14)
Tribes in U.S. and Canada address gangs, drugs (5/14)
Two dead in shootout at Soboba Reservation (5/13)
Soboba man killed in gunfight on reservation (5/9)
Overall crime rate has dropped on Soboba Reservation (1/23)
Rise in violence cited on Soboba Reservation (1/10)
Arrest made in homicide on Soboba Reservation (4/18)
Second homicide on Soboba Reservation in 2007 (4/6)
County to stop patrolling Soboba Reservation (8/21)
Soboba Band cancels law enforcement pact (8/15)
Weapons cache seized on Soboba Reservation (5/5)
Soboba Band expands police services agreement (03/29)
Soboba Band signs law enforcement contract (06/29)