Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Navy attacked Pearl Harbor, leading to war in the Pacific. That day was described as “a day which will live in infamy.”

On December 6, 2011, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Police involved themselves in the agenda of the Franklin County District Attorney Derek Champagne by detaining the Bear Clan representative of the Men’s Council Kanaretiio and then delivering him to the Franklin County Correctional Facility in Malone, without notice of rights or an explanation of charges. A complete debacle, this also has led to another day of infamy, now involving Akwesasne.

The command and control of police forces relies upon management and training. Paychecks, pensions, and benefits are nice in theory, but the amount of time required to collect such measures is constrained by the acceptance of the public to work with the said police force representatives. Police oversight boards become crucial when a buffer is required to keep the peace between police and the public. Look at the aftermath of the Los Angeles Riots of 1992 and how the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) was forced to change in the face of non-compliant citizenry. The recent Occupy Los Angeles movement had a camp dismantled by LAPD but no violence was filmed that was reminiscent of the 1992 upheaval. Police have many tools at their disposal. Discretion is one of them. Not all orders are lawful for starters.

The criticisms of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Police are many. Albany media has made pointed inquiries into the qualifications of the long-serving department director. A long-time sergeant has been removed from street patrol due to caustic treatment of the public. A plain clothes officer has arrogantly presented himself on a daily basis to the public, as if he holds a vendetta against his heritage and possibly himself. Recruits are processed through mainstream law enforcement training academies, which are not sensitive to the dynamics of Onkwehonweh existence. The police commission membership has included one of the elected tribal traffic court judges, a clear departure of the intent of independent law enforcement agency oversight.

The release of Kanaretiio under his own recognizance, without bail, has resolved the immediate concerns that Onkwehonweh had after his political rendition, a term coined during the American Presidency of George W. Bush to describe when terrorist suspects were taken secretly to another country to be tortured due to less stringent laws protecting the accused. The bigger challenge now lies with the livelihood of the tribal police department. Do Onkwehonweh still pull over for flashing lights in the mirror? I would suggest that cameras to record the officer’s procedures be used to record any future traffic stops to ensure there is no “fishing expeditions” taking place. Every person must make the decision for themselves if they will now comply with tribal police traffic stops. I have my doubts that all will go smoothly. The machine is too reliant on outside parts to continue to work effectively for Akwesasronon in present form. A rotation of two to three-year terms for peacekeeping officer candidates could be employed to equalize the burden of locally-based forces, from a list drawn from submitted candidates from all interested governments.

The attempt to decapitate the traditional leadership in Akwesasne by the arrest of a single man is a naive and fumbling effort. The next man or woman up will always assume the challenge at hand. There is where the real command and control lies in Akwesasne, as well as in all of Kanienkeh.

Chaz Kader

Turtle Clan