Some sheriff's deputies from Glacier County, Montana, objected to a law enforcement deal with the Blackfeet Nation because the tribe refused to grant commission cards to non-Indian officers.

Five non-Indian deputies weren't granted commission cards to enforce tribal law on the reservation. Only one non-Indian received a card.

"Our deputies don't have any racial bias, and the people who are calling for help don't care about skin color," Sgt. Tom Seifert, who had received a card, told The Great Falls Tribune. The tribe says it has a right to determine which deputies come onto the reservation.

The county withdrew from the agreement after a local newspaper threatened a lawsuit. The county agreed to hold public hearings and post public notice before moving forward with a new deal.

Get the Story:
Deputies: Pact with tribe discriminates (The Great Falls Tribune 9/1)

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