Non-Indian residents of the Tulalip Reservation in Washington are planning to protest the authority of the tribal police to stop them for traffic violations.

Non-Indians have consistently challenged the authority of the tribe. Now they say they have a legal basis with an informal opinion issued by the state attorney general's office that said the tribal police "generally lack authority to issue citations to non-Indians," according to The Seattle Times. A copy of the opinion is not posted on the AG's web site [Link].

State Sen. Val Stevens, a Republican, supports the protest. She said non-Indians should hold up a card that reads: "You don't have authority over me. I'm calling a law-enforcement officer from my own government."

Get the Story:
Non-Indians protest stops by tribal police (The Seattle Times 2/22)

Relevant Links:
Tulalip Tribes - http://www.tulaliptribes.com

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