United States Indian Police - Other Indian Police

Other Indian Police

There were basically two other types of police officers on the reservations:

  • Indian tribal police
    Several Indian tribes replaced hereditary chiefs with constitutional governments. These tribes hired police officers under a number of different titles—sheriffs, constables, regulators, lighthorsemen, etc.—to enforce tribal laws.
  • Indian agency police
    Many tribes had no recognizable governments and therefore no tribal laws. On these reservations, the Indian agent assigned to the tribe hired Indian police from among tribal members to effect law and order according to Federal, agency, and treaty rules. These were considered federally appointed police officers. The Indian police that killed Sitting Bull were of this kind.

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Famous quotes containing the words indian and/or police:

    It will soon be forgotten, in these days of stoves, that we used to roast potatoes in the ashes, after the Indian fashion.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    He took control of me for forty-five minutes. This time I’ll have control over him for the rest of his life. If he gets out fifteen years from now, I’ll know. I’ll check on him every three months through police computers. If he makes one mistake he’s going down again. I’ll make sure. I’m his worst enemy now.
    Elizabeth Wilson, U.S. crime victim. As quoted in People magazine, p. 88 (May 31, 1993)