"Benewah County Sheriff Robert Kirts isn’t going to win his battle to continue to treat Coeur d’Alene tribal police with contempt.

He’s already losing that war.

Last week, the House Judiciary Committee voted unanimously in favor of a bill that would end his authority to cooperate with tribal police on law enforcement, if he can’t act like a grown-up in dealing with tribal police.

Importantly, the dislike, distrust and possible bias Kirts and other elected officials have toward the tribe is now on full display for all Idahoans and Inland Northwesterners to see.

Kirts hasn’t helped his cause by referring to respected human rights official Christie Wood as “stupid” and by labeling concerns from the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations as a bunch of “fecal matter.” That might play well in St. Maries coffee shops. But Kirts’ crude comments and dug-in attitude are fueling human rights reform – and giving Benewah County a bad name.

Also, he didn’t help his image Tuesday by reading a prepared statement and then walking off without answering questions during an interview with a KREM2 reporter. That scene was caught on camera, revealing a man in authority who doesn’t react well when trying to explain his wrongheaded methods to the public beyond county boundaries."

Get the Story:
D.F. Oliveria: Sheriff’s crudeness comes with a cost (The Spokesman Review 2/14)

Relevant Documents:
DOC: State and Indian Tribal Law Enforcement Act

Related Stories:
Coeur d'Alene Tribe at odds with county over police (2/11)
Coeur d'Alene Tribe law enforcement bill introduced (2/10)
Editorial: Sheriff wrong about Coeur d'Alene policing (2/8)
Coeur d'Alene law enforcement bill stirs controversy (02/05)
Editorial: Back tribal arrest authority over non-Indians (2/3)