OPA

WASHINGTON – Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs John Tahsuda spoke today of the courage and sacrifices of Indian Country’s fallen police officers during the 27th Annual Indian Country Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Service, which was held on the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers campus in Artesia, N.M.

The Indian Country Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Service honors tribal, state, local and federal law enforcement personnel working on federal Indian lands, and in the tribal communities located thereon, who have given their lives in the line of duty. It is also the occasion when the names of officers to be added to the Indian Country Law Enforcement Officers Memorial monument at the academy are formally announced.

Two officers’ names were added at this year’s ceremony, bringing the total number listed on the monument to 116:

• Navajo Nation Police Officer Houston Largo who was killed on April 12, 2017 while conducting a traffic stop of two individuals suspected in a reported domestic violence incident on Navajo Nation Reservation.
• Nelson Onepennee, Game Warden with Yakama Nation Police Department who was killed on April 11, 1980 while on patrol along the Columbia River when his vehicle left the roadway and plunged down a steep embankment.

“These two officers we honor today, like the other officers whose names are eternally remembered here at the Indian Country Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, selflessly and courageously dedicated themselves to protecting and serving the tribal communities in which they worked and lived,” Tahsuda stated. “These heroes made the ultimate sacrifice, which is a testament to their dedication to public safety and justice for tribal communities.”

The 27th Annual Indian Country Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Service was livestreamed. To view the event, visit https://livestream.com/accounts/85948/BIAmemorial and type in the password “biamemorial”.

Held annually on the first Thursday in May, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services conducts the memorial service in conjunction with the International Association of Chiefs for Police (ICAP) Indian Country Law Enforcement Section and other law enforcement organizations and agencies, including the National Sheriffs’ Association and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers in Artesia. The latter is home to the memorial, service and academy.

The formal ceremony consists of full law enforcement honors with flag presentation, 21-gun salute, honor guard, traditional drum song and prayer, officer roll call, and family recognition. Each year, invited dignitaries provide keynote remarks at the ceremony.

The Indian Country Law Enforcement Officers Memorial was first dedicated on May 7, 1992, at the Indian Police Academy, then located in Marana, Ariz. The academy and memorial were later moved to their present site, where the latter was re-dedicated on May 6, 1993. The memorial’s design is based upon indigenous design concepts. Comprised of three granite markers sited within a circular walkway lined with sage, a plant of spiritual significance to many tribes, the memorial includes four planters filled with foliage in colors representing people of all nations. The planters represent the four directions and are located near the walkway’s entrance.

The earliest inscribed name dates back to 1852. In addition to those from BIA and tribal law enforcement, officers listed represent numerous law enforcement agencies including the U.S. Border Patrol, the New Mexico State Police, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Customs Bureau, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The list includes one female officer from the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety who was killed in 1998; a father and son, both BIA officers, who died in 1998 and 2001, respectively; and two FBI agents killed on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in 1975.

To view an image of the Indian Country Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and a list of the inscribed names, visit http://www.fletc.gov/about-fletc/locations/artesia/indian-country-lawen….

WASHINGTON – Today U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and the Bureau of Indian Affairs announced the selection of Eugene R. Peltola Jr. (of Yupik and Tlingit descent), from Orutsararmiut Native Council, a federally recognized tribal government, as Regional Director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in Alaska. The BIA Alaska Regional Office oversees offices in Anchorage and Fairbanks, all of which provide services to 227 federally recognized Alaska Native tribes. The selection of Mr. Peltola, fulfills a commitment Secretary Zinke made to Alaska Natives while visiting in 2017.

“During my visit with the Alaska Federation of Natives board last June, I committed to give strong consideration to filling this position with a First Alaskan and I am very pleased that the Bureau of Indian Affairs has filled the Alaska regional director’s post with an incredibly qualified senior executive from one of our sister-agencies.,” said Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. “With his experience in working for Interior in the field as a refuge manager, as well as his deep knowledge of Alaska Native subsistence and land issues, Gene is the right person for this important post. Alaska is our starting point for reorganizing the Interior Department for the next 100 years.”

“I want to welcome Gene Peltola to the Bureau of Indian Affairs as the new director of our BIA Alaska Regional Office and to the BIA regional management team,” said PDAS Tahsuda. “The Alaska regional director post is vital to our mission of carrying out our trust responsibilities to Alaska Native tribes. I am gratified that, after so many years, it is now held by someone from Alaska who knows the Alaska Native people, their history and cultures.”

Alaska Regional Director Peltola said, “Being an Alaskan born Alaska Native, I feel very honored and privileged to be selected for the position of regional director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Alaska. This will provide me the opportunity to contribute to the continued betterment of our people, and, have a voice in the manner which subsistence opportunities are presented for Alaska Natives and other rural residents of the state. I look forward to the new challenges this responsibility brings and being able to contribute to the consultation and reorganization of the Department of Interior. The decisions that we make today will carry forth and affect not only Alaska Natives, but many others for generations to come.”

“Alaska Federation of Natives is pleased with the appointment of Gene Peltola Jr. as the new Alaska BIA Area Director,” said AFN President Julie Kitka. “The BIA plays a critical role in Alaska working closely with our tribes and tribal consortiums on behalf of our people. We thank Secretary Ryan Zinke for his strong support of self-determination and efforts to strengthen the federal trust responsibility.”

In his most recent capacity at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as the Federal Subsistence Management Program lead, Regional Director Peltola was responsible for coordinating and implementing subsistence management on all federal lands in Alaska on behalf of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, the USFWS, and the U.S. Forest Service.

While he has worked in both the public and private sectors since 1984, Peltola’s 34-year federal career has been with the USFWS in Alaska, where he worked at 3 National Wildlife Refuges including as a zone supervisor for Refuge Law Enforcement and Refuge Manager for the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge.

Peltola has served in local government, on corporate boards, and owned and operated two businesses. From October 2010 to September 2012, he served as vice-mayor and council member for the city of Bethel, Alaska.

While serving the city of Bethel, he sat on the boards of three Alaska Native village corporation entities: Bethel Solutions, LLC, a holding company of an Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA)-established village corporation specializing in commercial real estate construction Bethel Services, Inc., a subsidiary of an ANCSA-established corporation specializing in government contracting and Bethel Native Corporation, the village corporation for the community of Bethel.

FARGO, ND - Today, U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke recognized Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) - Turtle Mountain Agency Law Enforcement Officers Stacey Larocque and Michael Slater and BIA-Standing Rock Agency Law Enforcement Officers Wayland Bad Hand and Gary Sandland with the Secretary’s Commendation Award for their quick and heroic actions to save the lives of individuals who overdosed on deadly, synthetic opioid drugs.

"Officers Larocque, Slater, Bad Hand, and Sandland are heroes and role models for every one of the Department’s 4,000 law enforcement officers,” said Secretary Zinke. “Thanks to their quick actions and cool heads, they were able to save lives. I’m incredibly proud and honored to have them on our team.”

“Teamwork and training saved lives,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs John Tahsuda. “Our officers are dedicated to protecting Indian Country every day. I applaud these officers for utilizing their training in an exceptional manner while under pressure to save tribal members from the deathly grips of their opioid overdose. They saved members of Indian Country’s family.”

“On behalf of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, we would like to commend Sergeant Stacy Larocque and Officer Michael Slater on receiving the letters of commendation and the pinning of the Life Saving Ribbons,” said Chairman Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Jamie S. Azure. “Our community is proud of all of our law enforcement and grateful for all of our uniformed officers and emergency services who knowingly put their lives on the line to protect others in the line of duty.”

Officer Slater arrived at the home on the Turtle Mountain Reservation in New Town, ND, and found a man unconscious and with no pulse. The family at the scene alerted Officer Slater about the suspected overdose. Officer Slater administered CPR until Officer Larocque arrived to administer Naloxone, commonly referred to as Narcan. The man gained consciousness after three doses and within minutes was responsive to the first responders.

The Secretary recognized Sergeant Larocque and Officer Slater during a roundtable meeting with North Dakota’s five Tribes. The conversation focused on issues each tribe faces with the opioid crisis and included options and opportunities to help the communities.

Officer Bad Hand responded to a reported assault of a female on the Standing Rock Reservation. Upon arriving at a residence, Officer Bad Hand found the unresponsive woman exhibiting signs of an opioid overdose. Officer Gary Sandland arrived at the scene and retrieved the Narcan, a dose in the form of a nasal spray, from the Officer Bad Hand’s patrol car. The woman regained consciousness after the medication was administered by Officer Bad Hand. Officer Sandland continued to assist by holding the IV bag of Narcan that the responding Standing Rock EMS had inserted in the distressed woman’s arm.

The Secretary’s recognition of Officers Larocque, Slater, Bad Hand, and Sandland was followed by a roundtable meeting with the Tribes from North Dakota – Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, Spirit Lake, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, The Three Affiliated Tribes, and Turtle Mountain of Chippewa. The conversation focused on issues each Tribe faces with the opioid crisis and included options and opportunities to help the communities.

“President Trump has made it clear that ending the opioid crisis is a top priority, and I’m honored to have the government-to-government relationship with North Dakota’s tribal nations,” said Secretary Zinke. “For too many, opioids have torn the fabric of the community apart, leaving children orphaned or in dangerous situations. Under President Trump’s leadership, the federal government is partnering with tribes to identify and prioritize community-based recovery solutions. This would both help victims return to health and also keep our children safe and close to home.”

“This Round Table has provided another opportunity to advance the essential dialogue that includes Tribal communities in the national opioid crisis,” said Chairwoman Myra Pearson of the Spirit Lake Tribe. “The opioid epidemic is another silent threat to our families and it is one that all tribal communities should all be aware of. Proper storage and disposal of medication are effective ways to protect against potential abuse. I encourage everyone to learn to identify the signs of opioid abuse, the signs of an opioid overdose and how to respond to an overdose until trained first responders arrive. Together, we can help save lives.”

“I extend my deepest gratitude to Secretary Zinke for spotlighting this important issue and meeting with the North Dakota tribal leaders,” said Chairman Mark Fox of the Three Affiliated Tribes. “For the health and wellness of Indian Country, we must continue to work together on developing and implementing strategies to overcome the threats posed by the nationwide opioid crisis. I am committed to continuing the open dialogue started at the Round Table with the Administration to stop the encroachment of this epidemic in its tracks.”

Earlier in the year, Secretary Zinke established the first of its kind law enforcement Joint Task Force (JTF) on opioids. The JTF brings together officers from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, state and local law enforcement, and Tribal law enforcement. The JTF conducts investigations and sting operations on Reservations at the request of Tribal leadership.

At the beginning of the year, Secretary Zinke held a series of tribal community visits on the Opioid Crisis in Indian Country — Tohono O’odham, Gila River, Salt River, and AK-Chin in Arizona; Oneida in Wisconsin; Spokane, Colville, and Lummi Nations in Washington State. The Interior’s Joint Task Force was established by Secretary Zinke to help achieve President Donald Trump's mission to end the opioid epidemic. The Secretary has publicly praised operations led by the new Interior Joint Task Force that resulted in the seizure of $2.5 Million worth of Meth and $22,000 in Marijuana, Heroin and Other Narcotics near Pueblo lands in New Mexico; and a opioid bust around tribal lands in Arizona that seized 9,050 Fentanyl pills, 48.2 pounds of methamphetamine, 1.2 pounds of heroin, 863 pounds of marijuana, one-half pound of cocaine, and $30,000 in cash.

A Memorandum of Agreement between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service supports training for BIA Law Enforcement in administering Narcan, a naloxone nasal spray. Officer Jonathan Vigil was the first BIA Officer to successfully use Narcan while on duty on August 2, 2016.

Bena MN – The Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke was among the dignitaries to speak at the dedication of the newly constructed Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig High School on the Leech Lake reservation, a replacement building resulting from the combination of efforts made over 25 years. The new building replaces the metal clad pole barn, a structure originally built as an auto mechanic shop and bus garage. It lacked proper insulation that made regular classroom sessions difficult during Minnesota’s harsh winters.

“The Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig school project between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the tribe is a great example of what is possible when we work together in consultation with tribes,” said Secretary Zinke. “All Native American kids deserve a world-class education. 48,000 American Indian students and their families count on the Department of the Interior to deliver this kind of experience at school, and we'll do everything we can to help give them world-class facilities."

The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs John Tahsuda joined Secretary Zinke on a tour of the new building, which is equipped with a state-of-the-art library and a kitchen designed to teach the preparations of traditional foods. Indian Affairs through the Office of Facilities Property, and Safety Management and Division of Facilities Management and Construction partnered with the school and tribe to make this project possible.

“Indian Affairs is a proud partner with both the Tribe and the school’s leadership,” said PDAS Tahsuda. “The journey to build a real school for the Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig students has been a long one, but this is a proud moment for the many who speared this effort. Indian Affairs is proud to help fund this state-of-the-art facility.”

“We want to remember this day as a win for Tribal education and future generations who will benefit from the school which will provide a safe, welcoming hub for students, teachers, and members of the community,” said Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Chairman Faron Jackson, Jr.

“Almost 300 students will attend the new high school this fall,” said Superintendent Mary Trapp. “It has taken 25 years for this vision to become reality. It is a dream come true for the generation of students who are proud of the education they earned here, but who had endured the failing infrastructure around them.”

The contract was awarded in 2017 and the builders aimed to build the facility within a year.

The new Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig High School will also serve as a community center. It uses geothermal heating technology which proves a cleaner and more sustainable source of energy. The installation of large windows in each classroom allows more natural light and a visual connection to the surrounding landscape. The media library will allow for students to take advantage of long distant learning opportunities.

The Administration proposed legislation to establish the Public Lands Infrastructure Fund in the FY 2019 budget to provide up to $18.0 billion to address needed repairs and improvements in the BIE schools, as well as the national parks and national wildlife refuges.