Public Safety Hit Hard by Federal Cutbacks

The impact of sequestration is hitting public safety in Indian Country hard. Tribes have been cutting law enforcement positions and closing mental health programs. The horror stories are rolling in: The Oglala Sioux are down to one officer on duty at any time. The Navajo can't staff a jail that they built. The Red Lake Band of Chippewa are losing 22 BIA employees, mostly law enforcement officers. At Pine Ridge, where someone tries to commit suicide nearly every day, they have had to cut two counselor positions. Cuts to IHS programs have gone far deeper than expected, shuttering clinics and limiting emergency services.

While hundreds of millions have been cut from IHS and SAMHSA (mental health) programs, cuts to smaller programs are also having an impact. Programs designed to turn life around for kids have been decimated, from Headstart to the Tribal Youth Program, which had been helping kids discover alternatives to drugs and gangs. Tribal police are having more and more trouble staying ahead of the curve. As one officer explained, "It's really hard to be proactive when you don’t have enough staff."

What can be done? The National Congress of American Indians has already passed a resolution stating that sequestering funds for tribal activities amounts to a treaty violation, which still doesn't get boots on the ground or doctors in the clinic. Some tribes are cushioning the impact with funds from gaming, grant funds that have already been awarded or settlements. Some tribes are seeking partners in or out of the tribal community to help make up the gap. Join the discussion at our SafeRez group on LinkedIn to share ideas on how we can pull through this difficult time.