Bill Would Reclassify Tribal Law Enforcement Officers, Improve Benefits
A new bipartisan bill aims to boost the ranks of tribal law enforcement to address ongoing safety issues on reservations, including fighting the Murdered and Missing Indigenous People (MMIP) crisis.
“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,” said one of the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA).
The legislation would amend the Indian Law Enforcement Act by taking several steps to improve recruitment and retention including:
· Authorizing tribal officers acting under a 638 contract to be considered federal law enforcement officers if they meet certain qualifications and eliminating the need for Indian tribes to enter Special Law Enforcement Commission (SLEC) agreements, which are difficult to obtain.
· Making tribal officers eligible for the same array of benefits as federal law enforcement officers including injury, death, retirement, and pension benefits.
· Allowing the Secretary of the Interior to implement procedures for credentialing tribal officers.
· Allowing the Attorney General to coordinate training and reporting activities.
Representatives Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Sharice Davids (D-KS) are also sponsors.
“I am proud to join my colleagues in leading this important legislation, which removes administrative barriers and gives tribal law enforcement officers increased access to the same federal benefits, including retirement benefits, as other federal law enforcement officers,” said Representative Davids.
In addition, the legislation has support from tribal leaders across the country.
“If enacted, this will allow Chehalis and other tribes to take care of the officers that patrol and keep our communities safe,” said Dustin Klatush, Chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation.
This comes amid a broader push by the Biden Administration to help tribal communities fight violence and the MMIP crisis. Last fall, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS) established new guidelines for handling criminal investigations in Indian Country, the first update to the document since 1993. In 2021, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland formed a Missing and Murdered Unit (MMU) to investigate such cases.