The Pennington County jail is located in Rapid City, South Dakota. Photo from Muth Electric
New data proves Natives arrested at higher rate in Rapid
By Brandon Ecoffey
LCT Editor RAPID CITY— According to a soon to be released study by the Rapid City Police Department Native Americans are far more likely to be arrested for both felony and misdemeanor charges than their white neighbors. According to data first reported on by the Black Hills Knowledge Network and commissioned by the RCPD Native people made up 59% of the 8,228 people arrested by Rapid City Police in the year 2014. According to census numbers -- that have historically underestimated the size of Rapid City’s Native population -- Native people only comprise 12.4% of the city’s population. The data is part of a study commissioned by the city and the entire study is set to be released later this year.
Native Americans make up 12.4 percent of Rapid City's population but account for much higher percentages of crime victims and those arrested. Image from Black Hills Knowledge Network
The trend seems to hold true as far as those who have been arrested or suspected of committing a crime. Last year Native people made up 55% of the nearly 12,000 people who were arrested or suspected of crime in the city by police. In addition to being charged and arrested more at a rate higher than other races in the city Native people have been found to also be more likely to be a victim of crime. According to the data Native crime victims made up 33% of the 5,780 total. Vaughn Vargas, the RCPD’s newly appointed cultural advisor for the Rapid City Police Department and enrolled citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe, said that that he and the department are aware of the statistics and are currently reviewing them. Vargas added that a cultural advisory committee that is still being assembled will also look at the data to determine how the disparities can be addressed. (Contact Brandon Ecoffey at editor@lakotacountrytimes.com)
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