Tag Archives: James Saylor

Supreme Court affirms tribal police authority over non-Indians

The actions of a Crow Nation police officer were in question at the Supreme Court. Crow Nation

Kirsten Carlson, Wayne State University

The Supreme Court unanimously affirmed the sovereign power of American Indian tribes on June 1, 2021, ruling that tribal police officers have the power to temporarily detain and search non-Indians on public rights-of-way through American Indian lands.

In most communities in the United States, the local government has the authority to investigate and prosecute both misdemeanor and felony crimes. And local police can detain and search individuals suspected of state and federal crimes, at least until handing them off to the appropriate authorities. Continue reading

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