Letters to the editor

Where are the

Tribal police?

After reading the short article entitled “Cities, Tribe see connected future,” (Valley Record, March 25), I was concerned that a critical piece of information was missing. It stated that “Snoqualmie provides fire, sewer and human services (though I am not quite sure what that entails) to the casino,” but no mention was made of law enforcement.

I suppose most Valley residents probably didn’t think much of this omission, because we had been assured that the Snoqualmie Tribe was going to provide police officers to cover their reservation land. We have, in fact, seen their patrol cars around the Valley these past several months.

I had the pleasure to meet and speak with the two experienced and highly qualified officers, Captain Tim Nelson and Chief Duane Garvais-Lawrence of the Snoqualmie Tribal Police. I had every confidence both of these gentlemen would provide the needed law enforcement patrolling the casino, the reservation land and the land in trust that the Snoqualmie Tribe holds.

But we come to find out, just yesterday, in fact, that the tribe has reversed their course and disbanded their police force. So, I have a couple of questions. Since I have seen nothing written up about any new contracts, I wonder who is now officially covering the law enforcement for the reservation and casino? Also, I realize that the casino is probably struggling as much if not more than the rest of the country with the downturn in the economy, but why was such a critical entity, by their own admission, disbanded?

Were there no other areas where they could cut back? I would think, for obvious reasons, that law and order would be a priority in an environment such as a gambling establishment.

I am sure I’m not the only Valley resident who would be curious to know what is going to happen now, after the mysterious and sudden disappearance of the tribal police force.

Maura T. Callahan

Snoqualmie