http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/archive/52644647.html
By Rob Capriccioso
Aug 10, 2009
WASHINGTON It's high time to take a stand against tribal gangs
and the help of Congress is desperately needed according to several
Native American leaders who note there are growing problems of crime
and rape on reservations.
The concerns were spotlighted in detail during a hearing of the
Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, held July 30. Four witnesses
recounted tales of increased tribal gang activity to a packed hearing
room a room that included the newest SCIA member, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn.
Oglala Sioux Tribe council member Hermis John Mousseau testified that
there were three gang-related shootings and incidents on the Pine
Ridge Reservation in the last month.
He said the issue was highly personal. A former tribal officer, in
2003 he was wounded in the line of duty by a tribal gang member when
he was called to address a domestic disturbance.
"During that incident, I was forced to shoot that individual and
memories like that stay with you forever," Mousseau testified. "To
this day, I can still remember the sound of that gun."
His tribe has counted at least 39 gangs on the reservation, but has
only 12 officers on duty at a time to patrol the vast 2.7 million
acre reservation.
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation council member Brian
Nissen said gang activity has led to routine assaults between rival
gangs, as well as violence against women and rapes.
He testified that his brother was once involved in gang activities,
but has improved his life with the help of family and friends and
recently graduated from college.
Nissen said his tribe can only afford to have three officers on duty
at any given time, and that police response times can take up to two
hours due to the size of the reservation.
Carmen Smith, police chief for the Warm Springs, Ore. Tribal Police
Department, believes gang violence is weakening tribal communities.
"There exists in Indian country today the twin scourge of drug abuse
and criminal gang activity. These two menaces, left unchecked, will
undermine the very fabric of Native American society."
All testifiers agreed that more federal funding and assistance would
help reduce the problem.
"Mr. Chairman, while we appreciate very much all that you are trying
to do to increase the BIA law enforcement budget, I must respectfully
tell you that it is simply not enough," Mousseau said to Sen. Byron
Dorgan, D-N.D.
"Forgive me for speaking this bluntly, but the simple truth is we
need more officers and we need them now. We have 5,000 gang members,
but we also have 45,000 scared law abiding people whose lives I have
sworn to protect. Please help me in any way that you can to
accomplish that goal.
"We need more personnel to provide youth based prevention activities
in and after school. And we need more investigators to review and
investigate cases at the tribal level. We also need more officers to
respond to these calls and merely to prevent the burnout of our
current officers. Finally, we need more staff in internal affairs to
ensure that our citizen complaints are handled in a timely manner."
Dorgan agreed there are many needs, saying that gangs appear to be
treating Indian reservations as safe havens to distribute drugs and
perpetuate violence.
"The fact is Congress has not done its job. … frankly, we have fallen
short," Dorgan said, adding that he hopes Congress will approve a
bill this year aimed at strengthening law enforcement in Indian country.
Dorgan said lawmakers and SCIA staffers are working on legislation
that would improve coordination between the Department of Justice,
the BIA and tribal law enforcement.
He said there is bi-partisan support for such legislation and added
that there is a need to encourage more aggressive action by federal
prosecutors on tribal reservations and allow tribal courts to punish
offenders with up to three years in prison.
He said the committee would continue to monitor the issue.
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