Rep. Dan Newhouse
U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) recently introduced a bipartisan bill that would support tribal law enforcement recruitment and retention to help address public safety issues on reservations, including the ongoing crisis of disproportionate violence against Native people and drug-related crime across Indian Country.
“This legislation aims to improve hiring and increase retention for tribal law enforcement officers in order to better protect native communities and help address the crisis of MMIW [Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls],” Rep. Newhouse tweeted on July 6.
The congressman introduced the Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act, legislation that would amend the Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act to provide for advancements in public safety services to Indian communities, according to the text of the bill.
“Native tribes in central Washington and across the nation are encountering significant barriers in recruiting and retaining law enforcement officers for their reservation lands,” said Rep. Newhouse in a July 6 statement. “While their communities are combating the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women and high crime rates, they need to be well-equipped to protect families and local businesses.
“The Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act will empower our law enforcement officers with the necessary resources to ensure the safety of both tribal and non-tribal communities,” he added.
Specifically, the bill would authorize tribal officers acting under a 638 contract or compact to be considered federal law enforcement officers provided they meet certain qualifications, including having completed certain training and background investigation requirements that are comparable to those of federal law enforcement officers, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Newhouse’s staff.
This action would eliminate the need for Indian tribes to enter into Special Law Enforcement Commission agreements, which are currently required for tribal officers to enforce federal law and are administratively burdensome for tribes to obtain, the summary says.
Additionally, the bill would treat tribal law enforcement officers acting under a 638 contract or compact as federal law enforcement officers for purposes of other federal laws, including for benefits for injury and death, retirement, and pension benefits, among other provisions, according to the summary.
Among the lawmakers who joined Rep. Newhouse in introducing the bill are U.S. Reps. Tom Cole (R-OK), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), and Derek Kilmer (D-WA).
“It’s important for the federal government to respect tribal sovereignty and strengthen public safety,” said Rep. Kilmer, adding that the bill would “take steps to improve the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of crimes in Indian Country.”
The measure is supported by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Yakama Nation Tribal Council, the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, the Quinault Indian Nation, the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the Choctaw Nation, the Stockbridge-Munsee Indian Community, and the Seattle Indian Health Board.