Newhouse, Kilmer Introduce Bill to Level Playing Field for Tribal Law Enforcement

4th District Representative Dan Newhouse is joining 6th District Representative Derek Kilmer in introducing the Parity for Tribal Law Enforcement Act to Congress.

Newhouse said the bill is an effort to respond to staffing problems being brought up by tribal law enforcement agencies both in Washington State and across the nation. He claims tribal law enforcement in many cases hire good people, train them up, and then lose the officer to other non-tribal agencies that can pay more and provide better benefits.

"This will help those tribal communities be safer, allow law enforcement to better do their job and in turn all the communities that surround reservations will also be safer," said Newhouse.

Newhouse adds that the issue of officer retention within tribal law enforcement was brought up during a roundtable discussion with tribal leaders in Toppenish last May.

The full text of the bill can be found here.