U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, and a bipartisan group of federal lawmakers introduced a bill last week that would put tribal law enforcement on equal footing with their federal counterparts.
The bill, titled the Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act, would allow certain qualified tribal officers to be recognized as federal law enforcement. That would mean tribes no longer have to enter into agreements with other law enforcement agencies to establish a federal law enforcement presence on sovereign land.
The policy is designed to simplify law enforcement and save tribes the administrative headache of developing the agreements. The ultimate goal, according to a news release from Gluesenkamp Perez, is to improve retention and hiring of tribal law enforcement officers.
"I hear from law enforcement across Southwest Washington about how difficult it can be to recruit and retain officers, especially in rural communities,” Gluesenkamp Perez said. “Our bipartisan legislation will cut down on administrative burdens and strengthen benefits for Tribal law enforcement — to ensure that sovereign Tribal Nations can keep their communities safe."
In addition to simplifying law enforcement for tribal administration, tribal officers with federal recognition would also benefit from any federal policy on required benefits for injury or death, as well as retirement and pension packages. To facilitate the change, the act calls on the secretary of the interior and attorney general to create processes for credentialing, training and reporting for tribal officers.
In addition to Gluesenkamp Perez, the bill is sponsored by Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, and Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oklahoma. It also has received support from many Native American tribes, such as the Confederated Tribes of The Chehalis Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation and many more.
In the recent news release, Newhouse made a point to emphasize the importance of bolstering law enforcement and public safety for indigenous communities to address continuing safety issues, such as a high rate of murder and kidnapping being reported among indigenous women.
“As the missing and murdered indigenous women crisis continues to plague tribal communities across the country, tribal law enforcement agencies are facing serious challenges with recruiting and retaining officers and resources," Newhouse said. "This bipartisan legislation empowers tribal law enforcement to build and maintain strong, well-trained forces who will be far better equipped to address the (missing and murdered indigenous women) crisis, counter illicit drug flow and protect tribal communities in Central Washington."
