UPPER LAKE — Robinson Rancheria tribal council met with Lake County Sheriff Rodney Mitchell Friday to discuss options for forming a tribal police force. The tribe recently procured a $250,000 Byrne grant from the United States Department of Justice to develop a tribal police force.
Mitchell told the council that he wanted the tribe”s police force to have the authority to enforce not only tribal law but state law as well. Robinson tribal chair Tracey Avila said the tribe was open to the idea, and both parties agreed that the first step is to hire a police chief.
“Right now in most places, we”ve got a tribal police force that has authority on tribal lands, but when they leave tribal lands, it stops,” Mitchell said. “My desire would be that if there”s a domestic violence call in Nice, and I”ve only got one deputy over here, that you”d be able to say, ?Robinson one, respond.” You”d be a California peace officer with the authority to do that.” Mitchell said having a police force subject to and authorized to enforce California law would give tribal police officers authority to escort arrestees off of tribal land the county jail and to deal directly with the Lake County District Attorney”s Office.
“I like that idea,” Avila said. “That”s the whole problem I see right now, is the jurisdiction problem, where if the tribe”s got its own police force and the Sheriff”s office comes in, then they”re bickering over who”s got the jurisdiction to do what.”
Mitchell said nothing under Public Law 280 would change, meaning his office would still have authority to enforce the law on tribal land. Mitchell cited California Penal Code 831, which defines a peace officer, saying it would likely need to be amended.
“We can sit down and work something out that”s beneficial to all of us,” vice chair Curtis Anderson said. “That”s a good starting point.”
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
