George Sword: First Native Police Captain

Captain George Sword, center
Library of Congress
Prints and Photographs Division

The Oglala Lakota Sioux akicita society traditionally enforced the law, ensured the security of the tribe, and captured wrongdoers. During the early reservation days, the akicita earned the respect of the Indian Agents and continued to do their duty as regards to tribal members. They were so effective, the Agency wanted to recruit the akicitas as tribal police but many tribal members opposed oversight from the government.

It may have been an issue of jurisdiction that inspired many akicitas to overcome their distrust of the government and sign up with the tribal police. Horse thieves from outside the tribe were preying on the Lakota horses, and without jurisdiction, there was nothing the akicitas could do. After hundreds of horses were lost in 1879, dozens of men signed up for the police. George Sword, also known as Man Who Carries the Sword, ably led the police for thirteen years, before retiring and becoming a tribal judge. Sword served his tribe as a medicine man, holy man, camp administrator and war leader. He felt his work as police captain continued this work, helping his people transition to the new era.

As head of the Pine Ridge Indian police, Captain Sword commanded 49 men, including many recruits from outside the tribe and maintained his traditional appearance and duties while serving.

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.

Oglala Sioux Plan Native Veterans' Cemetery

The Pine Ridge Reservation will soon have a place close to home to bring fallen warriors and honor them in the traditional manner, thanks in part to a $6 million grant from the Department of Veteran's Affairs. For years, the Oglala Sioux have had to travel 100 miles away to the Black Hills Cemetery to honor their military heros. The new 63-acre site will include space for contemplation and finding solace in nature and the memorial area honors Lakota traditions by including a medicine wheel and placing the entrances and buildings on the east site.