Tribes in Wisconsin Join Forces to Combat Gangs

The Green Bay Press Gazette in Wisconsin reports that tribal law enforcement and the state Justice Department have formed the Native American Drug and Gang Initiative, which Oneida Police Chief Rich Van Boxtel heads.

The team has developed a group of undercover officers, given all tribes access to the state's criminal data system and holds regular training for drug officers in an attempt to combat the problem of gangs and drug dealing on reservations, which can be compounded by a lack of authority, making prosecuting crimes difficult. A bill that would give tribal police and courts more power is moving through Congress.