BIA Indian Police Academy

Lamar Associates was recently awarded a contract by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Indian Police Academy (IPA) to develop an online accessible training session. At present the dropout/failure rate for Indian Country cadets is unacceptable, and to address the situation IPA has contracted with Lamar Associates to develop an online session to acquaint potential cadets with the entrance criteria, academy training activities, expectations, lodging, cafeteria and general rigors of cadet life.

The video portion of the project is being shot and edited by Cedar Sherbert (pictured). Cedar is the 2008 Rollin and Mary Ella King Native Artist Fellow at the School for Advanced Research (SAR) in Santa Fe, New Mexico. An accomplished Kumeyaay filmmaker, he has created several critically acclaimed films and won awards at the Los Angeles Film Festival, imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival, and the American Indian Film Festival, among many others.

We are pleased to have Cedar working with us on this most important project.

To learn more about the Native Artist Fellowship click on the title to visit the SAR website.

Canadian Blog Entry

The following was found on a police Blog from the UK. I post it on our blog with a mixture of anger and sadness. Anger at the callous and demeaning attitude of, presumably, some type of Canadian law enforcement officer; anger that I have heard and read the same type of commentary from law enforcement officials in the U.S. while speaking of Indian Country; anger that we as Native people have come to accept horrendous and tragic events without screaming at the top of our lungs everyday demanding the resources to create change; anger that substance abuse, child abuse, domestic violence, violent crime, traffic accidents, steal Native lives everyday; sadness that the beauty our Native culture and the accomplishments of our people are too often overlooked; sadness that government decision makers can't seem to understand; sadness knowing that the prayers of our ancestors have gone unanswered; sadness that our elders and children continue to be subjected to unspeakable tragedy.

Monday, December 01, 2008

TONTO NEED GOOD LAWYER KEMO SABE

When I first heard that Norfolk Police were introducing “sentencing circles” as a way of processing young people through the criminal justice system, my first thought was, surely things can’t be that bad.

Peter Merry, head of criminal justice for the force, said, “We have been looking at a system which is based on the traditions of aboriginal tribes, but in a more modern context has been widely used in Canada.” Note the striking absence of the word “successfully” between the words “used” and “in”. I can only imagine that Peter got the idea after watching Disney’s Pocahontas because he can’t have actually met anyone from our aboriginal tribes. Helpfully, the Daily Mail has published a photo of Chief Aatsista-Mahkan of the Siksika First Nation tribe. Things have gone downhill since the photograph was taken: in 2005 during a family argument on the reserve (east of Calgary) a 14 month old child was shot in the head.

Throughout Canada there are a number of Indian reserves where different tribes (or bands) live. Quite why these reserves are full of drugs, guns and alcohol is open to question, but broadly speaking there are two arguments:
1. Native people are still suffering from years of discrimination and cruelty at the hands of white settlers; their lands and way of life have been taken from them and they are not able to adjust to this new modern way of life that has been thrust upon them.
2. Government policy, in the form of vast amounts of federal funds, has made native people wards of the state. Consequently they no-longer have to take responsibility for their own actions and can act like children. Children with guns, drugs and booze.

Locally, places like Hobbema (pop. 12,000) have been keeping the Mounties busy for a while. The town is south of Edmonton and home to four colorfully named local bands: Samson Cree Nation, Ermineskin Tribe, Montana First Nation and Louis Bull Tribe. But if you are coming to visit and want to experience native culture first hand then it’s also worth bearing in mind that Hobbema averages 4 or 5 drive-by shootings a night and in April this year made the national news when one such drive-by resulted in the shooting of 23-month old Asa Saddleback. The town is also an excellent recruiting ground for violent native gangs including Redd Alert, Indian Posse and Alberta Warriors.

In January this year, in the Yellow Quill Indian Reserve in North Saskatchewan, local man Christopher Pauchay got drunk and decided to take his two daughters aged 3 and 16 months for a walk. It was -50 degrees outside and the girls were only wearing diapers and T-Shirts. Pauchay managed to find his way to a neighbour’s house suffering from hypothermia but the two girls weren’t so lucky and were found frozen to death the following day. By an amazing coincidence the children’s mother, Tracey Jimmy, was also drunk on the night her children were killed.

Pauchay was arrested for criminal negligence and in a break from the naïve, pastoral, idyllic, rural life he had hitherto enjoyed, enlisted the services of top defence lawyer Ron Piche. On the advice of Piche, and facing the probability of doing some jail time for killing his two children, Pauchay decided to plead guilty and throw himself on the mercy of his own First Nation sentencing circle back at the rez*. Naturally, Piche is saying his client is a new man and the sentencing circle will recognize the fact that he’s remorseful and really sorry. Pauchay is saying he prefers the sentencing circle option because it means he won’t have to relate the traumatic deaths of his own two children, he can also be pretty sure that he won’t do any jail time. In a triumph of hope over experience, Tracey and Christopher have had another child.

I’m sure that if the Norfolk town of East Dereham (pop. 15,000) was averaging 4 or 5 drive-by shootings a night and was suffering epidemic levels of alcoholism and child neglect, then Norfolk Police might have more to worry about that trying to introduce a sentencing circle.

Special treatment for minorities, alternative justice systems and sparing people from the consequences of their actions are not just Canadian issues of course, but it’s interesting to see how the solutions are much the same wherever you go.

Casino Review

Pictured are Walter and Joe Manno while visiting the Pacific Northwest for follow up on a Casino review. Joe is the former Senior Vice-President of Operations for Caesar’s World, where he oversaw both Paris and Bally’s properties. Joe leads Lamar Associates casino review teams and brings over thirty years of experience from industry leading companies with tenures in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Biloxi and internationally. For the most recent review he oversaw a team of five gaming professionals with a combined gaming experience of over 75 years.

Our goal is to always ensure tribal gaming revenue best serves the tribal membership.

What a Difference a Day makes!

What a difference a day makes!
Living in DC I have seen much, this will be my second inauguration.
I have seen the funeral of two presidents, both glaringly different.
I have seen protest from a million strong to 20 Americans gathering to have their voices heard.
I have been one in a million.
I have seen gross wealth and poverty all within three blocks of each other.
I have seen the seasons change, year after year. Snow in the Nation's Capitol is beautiful against the white marble, but so is the Fall color-not sure which is my favorite.
I have seen impressive memorials.
I have stood at the feet of Lincoln.
I have seen where he was murdered, walked in the alley where his murderer fled, stood in the house where he took his last breath.
I have stood in civil war battlegrounds.
I have participated in honoring those who have fallen in the line of duty.
I have seen, as far as the eye could see, graves of those who served and died.
I have had the honor to lay wreaths on their graves.
I have seen young men guard a grave day in day out, in all weather, all times of the day for an unknown soldier.
I have witnessed burial after burial of soldiers,one every hour on the hour.
I have seen the horse drawn caissons carry their flagged draped coffins.
I have seen friends run in Marathons, along side men and women with artificial limbs.
I have seen WWI Vets and Al Jazerra TV .........at the same parade.
I have seen the sun rise and set over the Potomac.
I have seen caravans of elected officials roll through the streets, stopping traffic and people.
I have seen armed men, on every street corner, every day.
I have seen priceless pieces of art and Borf originals on walls of the subway.
I have seen Suffragist Alice Paul's headquarters where a handful of men many many years earlier attempted to hold off the British.
I have seen our Nation's Capitol and White House,
I have been in both.
I have been in the West wing, Senate and the House offices.
I have volunteered for the rights of women, to stop the violence against women and fed the hungry.
I have met a homeless man- know his story and his first name, Ivory.
I have been blessed by work that has forever changed my life, made me a better person.
I have seen things beyond my wildest imagination.
BUT What
I haven't seen was anything like last night, people pouring into the streets by the thousands, people carrying flags, cheering and running through the streets, people on their knees in tears, people in cars honking to the beat of Yes We Can, people in awe at what had just happened and that they were part of it, the atmosphere was palatable. I drifted to sleep to the sounds of the street.
I have been changed by my experience in Washington, DC.
Thanks for sharing a moment of reflection on my life and time in DC this amazing day, this new day - change is a foot, are you ready, can you feel it too?

Cyndi Davis-Dow (Lamar Associates Chief Operations Officer)
11-5-08

Good Times on Capitol Hill

On October 28, 2008 Lamar Associates hosted a gathering of friends and colleagues at our Capitol Hill office. Among the group of professionals were Shana and Jeff Barehand. A topic of conversation was their baby boy Fiyero - pictured. We look forward to watching him grow into an Indian Country leader.

The Lamar Associates gatherings on Capitol Hill are always a fun time and a chance to network in a relaxed friendly environment.

65th National Congress of American Indians

Walter attended the 65th convening of the National Congress of American Indians' annual convention. He is pictured here with NCAI President - the Honorable Joe Garcia.

Walter's father, Newton Lamar, was an active leader in NCAI in the 1970's and up until his death in 1989. In 1977 Walter was a judge for the Miss NCAI pageant in Rapid City, SD and at the 1978 NCAI convention in Albuquerque, NM, he was recruited into the FBI. Since then Walter has attended the annual conferences and has spoken on topics related to law enforcement and homeland security.

President Garcia strongly supports Indian Country law enforcement.

John Fryar Hosts Randy'L Teton (Sacagawea Model)

John Fryar (Lamar Associates Director, Investigations) is pictured with Randy'L Teton while she was at the Albuquerque coin show October 11-12, 2008. John is an official in the Albuquerque Coin Club and sponsored her visit. Lamar Associates was pleased to have the opportunity to assist in the sponsorship.

Randy'L He-dow (Meadowlark) Teton is Shoshone-Bannock from the Fort Hall Reservation in Southeastern Idaho. She modeled for the Sacagawea dollar that debuted in January 2000. With the recent passage of the “Native American $1 Coin Act”, the reverse of this coin will undergo annual redesign starting in 2009. The new designs will be "celebrating important contributions made by Indian tribes and individual Native Americans to the history and development of the United States." She is living history as one of only two living people featured on current U.S. coinage.

Click on the Title to read more about Randy'L.

Pentagon Memorial

In October 2008, Walter and his good friend Sam Stanton visited the Pentagon Memorial as guests of Steven Calvery, Director, Pentagon Force Protection Agency. Sam and Walter were a team while both serving the San Diego office of the FBI. They shared many adventures and good times.

In 2007/2008, Lamar Associates worked on a contract to examine and assess the operations of the Pentagon Police Department. It was a challenging and meaningful project that gave our company a personal insight as we observed the dedicated men and women of our mighty military at work. Just as impressive, we learned, are the hard working men and women of the Pentagon Police Department who protect our military leadership who protect us.

The Pentagon Memorial is a solemn reminder of the incredible losses of 911. We must never forget.

Walter Lamar Inducted Into Alumni Hall of Fame

Walter was inducted into Southwestern Oklahoma State University's Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame on May 10, 2008 as part of SWOSU's convocation on the Weatherford campus. SWOSU President John Hays presents Walter with a plaque. Walter, who attended high school at Anadarko, was guest speaker at the SWOSU ceremony. Over 950 students were awarded diplomas - Walter was pleased and honored to be a part of the ceremony.

Click on the title to read more.

Missing From the Circle

With the knowledge and understanding there are many Native American families that search for loved ones we created Missing From the Circle to assist them free of charge.

In November 2007 we were contacted by a family that had been searching for their sister for nearly 30 years with no success. This message refers to our locating their sister:

This year is especially meaningful. I was adopted at 8 years old. I never expected that I would ever see any one that I was biologically related to ever again. As the years have passed one
by one I came in contact with my eight siblings. There was just one sister that was nowhere to be found. I finally turned to a private detective firm who specializes in finding missing Native Americans. Much thanks to Lamar and Associates and their program called "Missing from the Circle." My oldest sister was located but is in frail health.

My family has grown so much bigger and I am truly enjoying getting to know my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews. We are sending pictures back and forth and so excited to learn who looks like who. On November 3, 2007, I, my husband Frank, and my son Matt will be traveling to Texas for a family reunion I never dreamed could happen.

Sincerely,
Kathleen Walker

Steve Juneau at the Capitol

In March 2008, Steve had occasion to visit with Montana Senators Jon Tester and Max Baucus. As always we work to make sure those in positions of authority do not forget the difficulties faced everyday in Indian Country.

Steve's lifelong association with Indian Country law enforcement places him in a position to be a strong and sincere voice.

Who Knew Then

This is a photograph taken in 1907 in Browning, Montana on the Blackfeet Reservation. On the left is Sam Burd on Blue Bird and on the right is Henry Devereaux on Roman. They are engaged in a horse pulling contest which was won by Henry.

Sam Burd is Steven Juneau's (Lamar Associates Vice President) great-grandfather and Henry Devereaux is the great-uncle of Walter Lamar (Lamar Associates President/CEO).

Who could have imagined in 1907 that in 2007 their descendants would be managing a company serving Indian Country!

Welcome from Lamar Associates

Our Lamar Associates Blog has been developed to continue expanding our capability to communicate with our relatives, friends, associates, colleagues and clients. We want to keep you updated on our projects and accomplishments as well as informational items to serve your interests.

This method of communication will permit us to be a bit more informal and we invite you to comment and engage in dialog with us. We are always looking for ways to serve our primary constituency, which remains Indian Country.

Our services are presented to Indian Country in a manner meant to create solutions and development of strong practices and processes.

Our team Welcomes You!!!