Thursday, August 14, 2008
Pine Ridge Police Officers Resign Following Council Meeting Brawl
At Tuesday’s meeting between Pine Ridge police and the tribal council, officers stood up one by one and told the council of the many ills that plague their department – overworked, understaffed, lack of training, lack of funding. But some on the council were having none of it. One council member told the police their testimony was hearsay and that they were just looking to lynch someone. According to a Black Hills Fox News reporter who was there, as police officers started to walk out, a fight broke out in the back of the room and when all was said and done, 30 police officers – more than half the force – resigned, leaving fewer than 20 police officers to patrol the vast reservation with its well-publicized crime problem. Tuesday afternoon the FBI sent agents to the reservation to patrol, according to the Rapid City Journal. The tribal council is meeting today to address the issue.
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Did the tribe contract this from the BIA? If so, they (TC) should assist and support their police department. I believe all reservations have understaffed police officers. I don't blame them for walking out! I'm not sure what their land base is, as far as coverage, at least they have quite a few offices, we only have 8 officers that patrol a large area and it takes 3-4 hours to respond to a crime.
ReplyDeleteYes. We had 44 officers, including myself, patrolling a very large area. One officer, per shift, which sometimes ended after 16+ hours of patrolling. The BIA came, and are covering thier tracks, saying the officers were in the wrong, as they are supporting a person that they placed as Chief of Police, a man who has no patrol experiance, but claims his 27 years in security at the hospital as law enforcement experiance. We the officers have been micro managed, with the Chief and Captain questioning our judgements when the law (our tribal laws) were enforced among one of their family members. Our captain even hired his stepson, who had a arrest warrant at one of our correctional facilities, and when a female officer brought the attention to the Human Resource department, she was threatened to be suspended. THen the warrant suddenly disappeared. The warrant was for an assault. We all advised that we would return to patrol, 16 hour shifts or 8, to serve our people, to serve our land, if they would place experianced LAW ENFORCEMENT, someone who meets the criteria, in as Chief and captain. We are tired being questioned,by only to have our people get hurt time and time again when the individuals are being released from jail because they are related to the COP or Captain, when after being arrested for gang acitivities (Fighting)
ReplyDeleteOur voices have yet to be heard. They are doing wrongful terminations (prior), making thier own policy and procedures (not set by council) but the Tribal Council have yet to act, as they are fearful of retaliation.
Our tribe has always had a history of corrupted officers, tribal council members, etc. And now there needs to be justice (the right kind of justice). I remember a few years back, where they hired a man to help rebuild their Public Safety and when he did and received the funding, to help the building (of Public Safety). they decided to fire the man, and this includes harassing his family. This man had the law enforcement knowledge, education, work experience(s). But in the end, when the council and Public safety received the funds, they terminated the person who helped reconstructed the P.S. and when he tried to fight their decision, they attacked him, and his family. I believe our current and past administration, have done many wrongdoings to many people. And I do believe that the BIA do need to step in and reconstruct the P.S. and bring order back to tribe. Because also the crime on the reservation, is because some council members and P.S. officials let those who are dealing, bootlegging, gang fighting, etc. run free, because they're related somehow or another. And those who don't do wrong, are the ones getting punished. I recently heard that one arrested for Public intox. they must serve the time and pay $35 (for the crime), before releasing. I feel that is right. There needs to be order, justice done right, for a tribe to be successful(business, education, etc.)
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