Reservation Police (Kingman, Holbrook: vacation, job, land)

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by kdog

I have serious trouble believing this. Can you provide a link to even one story about Indian tribal cops shooting at non-tribal cops? Should be easy since it's reported in the local papers so often. Right?

Especially being that many, if not most Rez public safety officers are not even 'indigenous' American Indian these days.

[kdog]

Originally Posted by ArizonaBear

Especially being that many, if not most Rez public safety officers are not even 'indigenous' American Indian these days.

Right. In fact, I've seen Arizona cops working side-by-side with reservation cops doing sobriety checkpoints on reservation land, with no shots fired.

[esselcue]

I can only speak for our local rez (Prescott area) For the most part the Rez police are good guys and work well with our Deputies when possible, but the deputies are not allowed on the Rez for law enforcement details unless specifically invited. We have no authority there. And the Rez police have their hands full just taking care of the Rez population. Lots of alcohol, drugs, and assault... including sexual assault and child abuse situations...on the Rez. Keeps the Rez police very busy.

[xwideopenskyx]

I have driven through many different reservations over many years to visit various sites and never encountered any issues. Also, I live in southern AZ sandwiched between Rez land, so I am always driving through it. Have not heard of any stories on the local news or newspaper about our local cops being shot at by Rez cops as others have mentioned. If you respect their laws, you won't have any issues.

[pegleg smith]

Originally Posted by kdog

I have serious trouble believing this. Can you provide a link to even one story about Indian tribal cops shooting at non-tribal cops? Should be easy since it's reported in the local papers so often. Right?

Search the archives of the Press Enterprise. The Hemet News isn't around any more but both papers carried the stories.
To clear it up for you, dog, it is not the tribal police shooting at the local cops, it is the indians themselves. The Sheriff's don't usually cross onto the reservation but if they are in pursuit they sometimes end up there. They turn around and leave pretty quick. If the perp is a non-indian, and he flees to the rez, he could find himself in a very inhospitable place.

[steve22]

Originally Posted by pegleg smith

That happens over here all the time. The local cops stop at the entrance to the reservation cause they get shot at. The perps usually get away.
The chairman of this tribe just received some sort of humanitarian honor from some organization. I'd like to give him an award, also.

Ditto for where I live, in southwestern CO. It's a significant problem, in that if an Indian commits any sort of crime off the rez, it's basically impossible for the local authorities to track that individual down and do anything about it. It's a bit like having diplomatic immunity. It's unfortunately one of the reasons that, as nice a city as Durango is, the crime rate here is actually surprisingly high.

[Badland wonder]

The local and state police have no authority on the reservation. It is federal or reservation police. therefore the local police can not follow a perpetrator onto the rez. it is correct that sometimes the perpetrator "escapes" there, but the local police can and do give the feds and the rez police info.
Also have never heard of such a thing as any cars being impounded driving on dirt roads. Most of the roads on a reservation are dirt and that is how you get somewhere. If some one had their vehicle impounded I would suspect there were other reasons.

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by Badland wonder

The local and state police have no authority on the reservation. It is federal or reservation police. therefore the local police can not follow a perpetrator onto the rez. it is correct that sometimes the perpetrator "escapes" there, but the local police can and do give the feds and the rez police info.
Also have never heard of such a thing as any cars being impounded driving on dirt roads. Most of the roads on a reservation are dirt and that is how you get somewhere. If some one had their vehicle impounded I would suspect there were other reasons.

Yes and no.

Why I say that is I frequently saw Mohave Indian Reservation police officers stop vehicles that were outside of the rez......this just S of Bullhead City.

Also; the Salt River cops and their Mesa/Scottsdale counterparts can work in each others' jurisdictions here in the Phx area. Bad guys do not respect borders.

[Lovehound]

Originally Posted by Badland wonder

Also have never heard of such a thing as any cars being impounded driving on dirt roads. Most of the roads on a reservation are dirt and that is how you get somewhere. If some one had their vehicle impounded I would suspect there were other reasons.

I agree. I've been all over reservation land and nearby land in Utah and Arizona. I've rarely seen signs and always worked under the assumption that no sign means I can drive there. I've been mindful to not cause problems though. I drive safely and don't do anything that would impact the land (like littering). I don't drive down the access roads to houses. Generally I'm headed for scenic viewpoints or roads I think lead to scenic viewpoints.

Areas I've seen signs saying to get permission first: North of Peach Springs road leading to the Colorado River. Monument Valley. That's it. Anybody traveling on the reservation should get the AAA map "Indian Country." On it some areas are labeled "get local information" or something like that. Follow the map's advice.

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by Lovehound

I agree. I've been all over reservation land and nearby land in Utah and Arizona. I've rarely seen signs and always worked under the assumption that no sign means I can drive there. I've been mindful to not cause problems though. I drive safely and don't do anything that would impact the land (like littering). I don't drive down the access roads to houses. Generally I'm headed for scenic viewpoints or roads I think lead to scenic viewpoints.

Areas I've seen signs saying to get permission first: North of Peach Springs road leading to the Colorado River. Monument Valley. That's it. Anybody traveling on the reservation should get the AAA map "Indian Country." On it some areas are labeled "get local information" or something like that. Follow the map's advice.

Correct: the Hualapai Nation just E of Kingman on Rte 66 has many signs telling non residents to stay off the local streets.