Alex Tortes, a member of the Torres-Martinez Band of Desert Cahuilla Indians, will serve as interim tribal liaison for the Riverside County Sheriff's Department in California.

Tortes worked for the department for 33 years before he retired in 2006. He will serve as interim liaison for more than a dozen tribes while the county seeks a permanent hire.

County sheriff's deputies were involved in two fatal shootings on the Soboba Reservation last month.

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Sheriff enlists retired Riverside officer as liaison with county's Indian tribes (The Riverside Press-Enterprise 6/24)
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Liaison Appointed In Dispute Between Sheriff's Deputies, Tribe (KNBC 6/23)

San Manuel Band takes aim at reservation crime (6/23)
County official blames Soboba leaders for violence (5/30)
County sheriff hopes to improve tribal relations (5/29)
Soboba Band meets with county sheriff again (5/23)
Soboba Band meets county after fatal shootings (5/19)
Soboba Band plans to sue county over shootings (5/16)
Soboba couple killed while hiding from police (5/15)
Column: Law and disorder on Soboba Reservation (5/15)
Soboba chair cites 'war' against county 'calvary' (5/14)
Tribes in U.S. and Canada address gangs, drugs (5/14)
Two dead in shootout at Soboba Reservation (5/13)
Soboba man killed in gunfight on reservation (5/9)
Overall crime rate has dropped on Soboba Reservation (1/23)
Rise in violence cited on Soboba Reservation (1/10)
Arrest made in homicide on Soboba Reservation (4/18)
Second homicide on Soboba Reservation in 2007 (4/6)
County to stop patrolling Soboba Reservation (8/21)
Soboba Band cancels law enforcement pact (8/15)
Weapons cache seized on Soboba Reservation (5/5)
Soboba Band expands police services agreement (03/29)
Soboba Band signs law enforcement contract (06/29)