Gov. Greg Gianforte said the state will not take over law enforcement services on the Flathead Reservation. That’s in response to Lake County's decision to pull out of a long-standing agreement to do that work.
It’s unclear who will take over felony law enforcement oversight following Gianforte’s letter saying the state can’t afford it.
Lake County Commissioner Gale Decker said the letter raises more questions than answers.
“Who had jurisdiction? Does the county have, does the state have it, does the feds have it? That’s a question that is on people’s minds, and we don’t have an answer to it,” Decker said.
In the 1960s, the federal government, the state, Lake County and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) all signed onto a deal called Public Law 280.
The deal said Lake County would jail and prosecute people for felony crimes committed on the reservation.
But Lake County last year announced it’s pulling out because it can’t afford the roughly $4 million it costs to oversee felony jurisdiction.
Now, Gianforte’s office said the state also plans to pull out of the agreement.
Gianforte said he is initiating a process to give felony jurisdiction to the federal government. It’s unclear whether he can do that on his own or needs buy-in from state lawmakers. It’s also unclear whether the federal government will agree to take over.
The CSKT issued a letter saying it will continue to work with the county and the state to find a path forward.
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Federal officials said they don’t have many resources to offer if they take over law enforcement on the Flathead Reservation. Those comments come as Lake County plans stop providing those services on the reservation.
