Huckleberries Online

Benewah Deputizes 5 Tribal Officers

Posted by DFO

April 27, 2011 9:48 a.m. • 8 comments

The long-running dispute between Benewah County and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe was partially resolved earlier this month. Sheriff Robert Kirts deputized five tribal police officers. The action came two months after an effort by the tribe to pass a state law that would give tribal officers authority over non-tribal members failed. Benewah County lobbied against the legislation, which generated considerable news coverage at the time. “I deputized five of their officers who I know are good officers and work well with our officers,” Sheriff Kirts said. Tribal officers were deputized by the county for several years before Sheriff Kirts cancelled the agreement when tribal officers refused to comply with his instructions/Dan Hammes, St. Maries Gazette-Record. More here.

Question: What do you make of this development?

Eight comments on this post so far. Add yours!

Cindy_H on April 27 at 10:06 a.m.
I’m kinda tired of this picture. Don’t we have another photo we could run. Like you know, some handsome tribal cops?
Just wondering…
Dennis on April 27 at 11:28 a.m.
“I deputized five of their officers who I know are good officers and work well with our officers,” Sheriff Kirts said.

Translation: Five officers willing to kiss Kirts butt or risk thier safety.

Kirts is to living definition of a tool.
Sisyphus on April 27 at 11:39 a.m.
I find this bizarre. There’s more to this.
ZestD on April 27 at 11:52 a.m.
I can’t help but wonder if the ones deputized are the white ones.
Wes on April 27 at 1:02 p.m.
I am very suspicious, might be an end around play.
Marc_Stewart on April 27 at 3:46 p.m.
Benewah County Sheriff Robert Kirts deputized the Tribe’s ranking officers. Several of these officers are Native American.
Sisyphus on April 27 at 3:57 p.m.
Marc, could you elaborate a little on how this came about? If you are at leave to do so, of course. If they are ranking officers only, don’t we still have an emergency response issue?
Kage_Mann on April 27 at 4:05 p.m.
Benewah Sheriff Kirts, does the right thing and still the libs are not convinced: “Kirts is to living definition of a tool”. “I find this bizarre”. “I can’t help but wonder if the ones deputized are the white ones”. “I am very suspicious, might be an end around play”.

Kirts canceled the agreement when tribal officers refused to comply with his instructions. Summary: Now that they’re willing to comply with his instructions, he deputized five tribal officers.

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.