Reservation Police (Prescott: lawyer, job, home)

[Steve-o]

I asked this on the NM boards too, figured Id post it here as well, as AZ is home to several Nations.

Anyone have any horror stories to share? Since theyre self-governing, Ive heard several stories (which might be wives tales for all I know) about them that have me a little edgy. Now, I fully respect their laws and ours, and have the utmost sympathy for Natives, dont get me wrong. Ive just heard that the Reservation police can be very "Gestapo-like", is this true? I read a story once where some snake hunters had accidentally wandered onto Reservation land, and their police confiscated their truck and refused to give it back, as well as fined them. Anyone have any stories like that or heard any that can be factually backed up? I go to NM and AZ to do some snake hunting myself, and always make sure to know where the Reservations are so I dont tread onto their land, but accidents happen and I wouldnt want to be on the wrong side of their law, ya know?

[AzDreamer]

Snake hunting? Do you use a shotgun, a rifle, or do you go for the early archery season?

[pegleg smith]

I don't have any info on the rservation police but I do have a story to tell. I am a licensed air conditioning and refrigeration contractor in California.
I used to answer service requests on the reservation without ever giving it a second thought.
I was sub-contracted several years ago to install the air conditioning at the new casino being built on the Soboba reservation. The job was moving along pretty well when the Indians suddenly fired the general contractor on this job. I had a lot of money invested in equipment already installed in the structure and the labor of my crews. I had alrready billed the general for the work, but when the indians fired him they didn't pay him so he couldn't pay any of the subs.
I approached the tribal chairman and asked if I could be paid by the tribe for my expenses. The chairman told me he wasn't going to pay anybody any money. When I asked why, he explained that indian tribes are considered independant nations and state laws do not apply on the reservation. He told me that I could not sue the tribe for my money in any state court, that I would have to sue in a federal court, AND THAT THEIR LAWYERS ARE FREE, COURTESY OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT!
You ever check into what it costs to hire a lawyer qualified to practise in federal courts? Much more than I could afford. I almost had to file bankruptcy and close my business because of the loss of that money. I was able to survive and finally pay off all my suppliers. Almost 4 years later, the original contractor on that job sent me a check to cover everything I had billed him for. He did have to close his doors, however he also was able to take the tribe to court and he won his case.
I have been contacted by people living on the reservation many times asking me to work on their air conditioning and refrigeration equipment. I tell them in no uncertain terms that there is no way in Hell that I will ever set foot on any indian reservation ever again.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

[i]Ive just heard that the Reservation police can be very "Gestapo-like", is this true?

IMO, it is. I got one of my tickets on reservation while doing 81 in a 75 zone while trying to pass a semi. C'mon, gimme a break!

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by AzDreamer

Snake hunting? Do you use a shotgun, a rifle, or do you go for the early archery season?

Let me rephrase... I go looking for snakes, not literally hunt them. Sorry about that.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by pegleg smith

I don't have any info on the rservation police but I do have a story to tell. I am a licensed air conditioning and refrigeration contractor in California.
I used to answer service requests on the reservation without ever giving it a second thought.
I was sub-contracted several years ago to install the air conditioning at the new casino being built on the Soboba reservation. The job was moving along pretty well when the Indians suddenly fired the general contractor on this job. I had a lot of money invested in equipment already installed in the structure and the labor of my crews. I had alrready billed the general for the work, but when the indians fired him they didn't pay him so he couldn't pay any of the subs.
I approached the tribal chairman and asked if I could be paid by the tribe for my expenses. The chairman told me he wasn't going to pay anybody any money. When I asked why, he explained that indian tribes are considered independant nations and state laws do not apply on the reservation. He told me that I could not sue the tribe for my money in any state court, that I would have to sue in a federal court, AND THAT THEIR LAWYERS ARE FREE, COURTESY OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT!
You ever check into what it costs to hire a lawyer qualified to practise in federal courts? Much more than I could afford. I almost had to file bankruptcy and close my business because of the loss of that money. I was able to survive and finally pay off all my suppliers. Almost 4 years later, the original contractor on that job sent me a check to cover everything I had billed him for. He did have to close his doors, however he also was able to take the tribe to court and he won his case.
I have been contacted by people living on the reservation many times asking me to work on their air conditioning and refrigeration equipment. I tell them in no uncertain terms that there is no way in Hell that I will ever set foot on any indian reservation ever again.

Oh my, thats horrible! Glad things got better for you though.

[esselcue]

Yeah, it's tough. A reservation is literally another world in itself. Here in Prescott we (law enforcement) cannot even chase a murderer onto the Rez...gotta hope the Rez cops will handle it. Unfortunately, some tribes use their unique position to protect their own criminals...but it's a touchy subject and probably will just turn this thread into a huge arguement.

[nitram]

I was involved in an auto accident on a reservation here in AZ a few years ago. A non indian truck and driver ran into our parked vehicle. We called the Sheriff's dept and were told #1 they could do nothing about it since it was on the reservation and # 2 that if we were smart we'd get off the reservation ASAP as the indian police would impound all the vehicles involved and possibly put us in their jail until all the details of the accident were gathered and financial responsibility was determined.
Needless to say we all split quickly.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by nitram

I was involved in an auto accident on a reservation here in AZ a few years ago. A non indian truck and driver ran into our parked vehicle. We called the Sheriff's dept and were told #1 they could do nothing about it since it was on the reservation and # 2 that if we were smart we'd get off the reservation ASAP as the indian police would impound all the vehicles involved and possibly put us in their jail until all the details of the accident were gathered and financial responsibility was determined.
Needless to say we all split quickly.

Wow. Freaky. Thats the kind of stuff I want to avoid.

[pegleg smith]

Originally Posted by esselcue

Yeah, it's tough. A reservation is literally another world in itself. Here in Prescott we (law enforcement) cannot even chase a murderer onto the Rez...gotta hope the Rez cops will handle it. Unfortunately, some tribes use their unique position to protect their own criminals...but it's a touchy subject and probably will just turn this thread into a huge arguement.

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.