Drug-related activity in Indian Country is a major contributor to violent crime and imposes serious health and economic difficulties on Indian communities. The BIA OJS conducts highly technical investigations on narcotics, gangs, border, and human trafficking violations in Indian Country through the Division of Drug Enforcement (DDE). DDE Special Agents work along side DDE K-9 teams and OJS General Crimes Special Agents and uniformed police officers in Indian Country daily. DDE Special Agents work alongside federal and tribal programs to disrupt narcotics sales and to disrupt criminal organizations who operate on Indian Lands and prey upon Indian communities.
BIA DDE provides complex narcotic investigations, as well as gang, and human trafficking investigations that focus on the disruption of drug distribution networks and criminal enterprise directly related to Indian Country and those impacting Indian Communities. The DDE provides analytical support to track drug cases, evaluate intelligence and trend data on drug related issues that impact Indian Country. DDE also provides drug related training and technical assistance to law enforcement programs operating in Indian Country. Trainings such as drug traffic interdiction, Spanish immersion, and basic & advance drug investigations courses are also being conducted. Many of these trainings are conducted at the agency level to make this training readily available to the tribes. DDE works on task forces with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Border Patrol as well as multiple state and tribal agencies across the United States.
Surveillance equipment has been purchased by the BIA and is issued through an Equipment Loan Program for use by the tribes to conduct drug investigations and this is able help in the collection of useful vital information from the field. Criteria for receiving the equipment consist of having an established drug investigations program. Data collected is more thorough than reporting numbers and will dive into the more detailed aspects of a seizure or arrest. This detailed approach allows for the development of a drug threat assessment and is provided to the tribes on a semi-annual basis. Also, the numbers are accessible to the tribes, so they can support their grant proposals should they seek funding opportunities.
The Division of Drug Enforcement funds several School Resource Officers (SRO) positions throughout Indian country. The SRO will provide anti-meth education to our youth through programs such as DARE and GREAT. The SRO also organizes anti-meth activities to bring awareness to the dangers of this drug to our students at an early age level, which encourages our youth to make wise choices and remain drug free.
