FORT TOTTEN, N.D. (KFGO KVRR) – The Spirit Lake Tribe in northeastern North Dakota is taking steps to fill a shortage of police officer positions on the reservation.
Chairwoman Lonna Street says the tribe has established a Memorandum of Agreement with Bureau of Indian Affairs, the federal agency which oversees and manages the police force. She says the agreement will allow the tribe to recruit officers directly under tribal authority while ensuring they get their credentials at the BIA Police Academy in New Mexico.
The tribe has been working to fill two tribal police positions since last April. Street says the current police force includes just four officers and the police chief. She says the need is urgent. Officers sometimes respond to nearly 200 calls in a week.
The Benson County Sheriff’s Office in Minnewaukan said it is committed to supporting Spirit Lake to ensure that all communities in the region remain safe and well-served.
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