Gov. Kristi Noem and Attorney General Marty Jackley are offering to help train law enforcement officers for South Dakota’s nine Native American tribes.
Noem and Jackley sent a letter Thursday to South Dakota tribal law enforcement agencies offering a summer training program in Pierre that would allow tribal officers to receive South Dakota Law Enforcement Certification.
This comes after the Oglala Sioux Tribe declared an emergency late last year due to rising crime, asking for federal assistance.
The only existing tribal law enforcement training program is in New Mexico. In a joint statement, Noem and Jackley said in-state training will allow tribal law enforcement to return home to their families on the weekends, "which will boost retention and lead to the graduation of more certified officers."
According to the letter, the training would run from June 3 to Aug. 30. Agencies must notify the state of their intention to send officers for training by April 30.
"This is a tight timeline, but the crisis of tribal law enforcement shortages demands quick action," the letter stated.
This isn't the first push to make law enforcement training for tribal officers available closer to home. This session, lawmakers approved a resolution urging the Bureau of Indian Affairs to establish a tribal law enforcement training center in South Dakota. Just last week, U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds sent a letter to the Department of Interior requesting a meeting to discuss law enforcement training in South Dakota.
The issue of crime on reservations has become a point of contention between tribes and the governor.
Noem has blamed the rise in crime on Mexican drug cartels, tying it to the immigration crisis on the southern border. In a statement urging tribes to "banish the cartels," the governor noted allegations of corruption within tribal government.
Some tribal leaders accuse the governor of politicizing the problem. Three tribes – the Oglala Sioux, Cheyenne River Sioux, and Standing Rock Sioux – have banned Noem from their reservations.
