Being a Navajo police officer would be more challenging than being an officer in most normal rural and city areas. One problem these Navajo officers have to deal with would be the environment they are working in because is completely different than what we are used to. Like the video says, only six officers are on patrol and they ride single. There is also a lot more area to cover as opposed to a city police officer and the beat they are assigned to. The landscape in the Navajo area contains a lot of land that is dry and rocky with many plants and a lack of buildings. This job could also be more dangerous because the Navajo police have to deal with gangs, drug lords, and even supernatural forces according to the video. These so called "skin-walkers" transform themselves into animals and haunt the tribal area. One officer in the video eats a special herb and blesses himself everyday before going to work. Law Enforcement is a little different in every area around the US, depending on the location. Bry001
Indeed law enforcement varies across the world. It did seem that these officers were particularly isolated. The landscape and problems with depression and gangs would make being a tribal officer quite difficult. I also thought the supernatural aspect was interesting. We got to see officers going against their religious beliefs in order to do their jobs. I think that alone makes tribal police very unique. RustyPete001
Being a Navajo police officer would be a very difficult job because there is much more ground for them to cover with less cops. These officers also have to handle crimes not just with people but also the grounds that are sacred. With there be very little jobs around for everyone to work the officers are now having to handle the problems with drugs and even suicide. Where the Navajo land is has a big problem with people transporting drugs because there is very few officers it is hard for them to try and stop the drug transportation. Gangs are also another issue within the state. With these gangs they are getting violent and even killing people. I thought it was interesting that if you were a native tribe member that you would get transported to the nearest jail but that you could be arrested on their grounds. -Pie001
These officers have a very hard job with covering so much ground they are limited on what functions they can perform to ensure safety for all human beings that are living within a given area. Officers also like what you said must make sure they preserve the ground to ensure that it is kept scaracard and respective of the culture. Gangs and drugs are ruining the way of life for these reservation's which law enforcement will come to dismiss by some meads. I also agree that its a person would be transferred if they committed the a crime instead of putting them in a place where they are locked up in which they had just violated. Eagle001
The Navajo police have a very challenging job. They have to deal with large amounts of drugs going to and from their area and they have more crime then some large cities. They can even be attacked spiritually. It would be hard to work as a Navajo police officer due to the fact that you work alone in a area larger L.A. The Officers also work alone and back up can be hours away. It was cool that one officer is trained to take on 6 people. EVO001
Working alone to cover all of the ground in an area bigger than Las Angeles. That job sounds impossibly difficult, no matter the job's description. And making it a police officer's job? The requirements may be just beyond that of an officers capabilties. And really, these expectations are quite unfair. - AJC002
i could not image covering all that area by yourself and having 30 to 60 mins before back up could arrive. I do agree that it is unfair and unreasonable to expect them to keep law and order. i honestly think that they have good intentions just not enough help to make their work proficient.steel001
Imagine how difficult it already is for those who have to deal with drug crimes in our cities today. It's not an easy thing to do, and generally takes a lot of time and patience and investigation. Now consider that same officer patrolling an area that in much, much larger than their beat. The ability of this officer to make effective coverage of the land and to stop most crimes would be heavily hindered. And it is so for cops in the Navajo police forces. With few officers and large territories, covering ground is entirely too strainuous on the small crews. On top of that, the rising violence rates within gangs is furthering the problem and overall leading to a sort of failure of the law enforcement agencies in these areas. -AJC001
I agree with you AJC001. These officers have so many problems to deal with, in three times the area a normal police department would have to cover with only a fraction of the officers. The gangs coming about are a great point to bring up. Even though these rising threats are very apparent, the amount of officers is staying the same small number, and in the same giant area. -OKC001
Navajo Police officers have an extremely tough job on a day to day bases. This is also a crazy fact that Navajo Police officer are taught to fight seven different individuals at one period. The main goal of these officers is to protect Indian traditional way of life to ensure their safety and well-being. Also, was spoken of in this video is that this Indian reservation's make for soft targets for criminals bring drugs around these areas. Officers mainly around these areas look for motorcycle gangs as these bring the most toxic subsistence's around the area. Navajo Officers can arrest on their reservation's but they must if the person is not a native bring them to the nearest county for booking purposes which could be an hour away. They must investigate calls for things that other officers would dismiss because they are deemed as supernatural. Such the Indian belief of the Skin Walkers. The Indians also believe that a person may be cursed if they see a dead body, or look at the dead body. Which can be on issue for these officers with keeping respect to the Indians that these officers encounter during their shifts. Backup for these officers could also be a couple hours away so these officers must be careful on how they handle every call they must take part of. Eagle001
The job that these officers have to do while out working in the field is very hard. They often have to answer calls and disturbances by themselves with no backup. The fact that they have to be trained to fight off seven different attackers by themselves is crazy. I believe that we need to do something to help them get more funding so that they hire more officers and be able to have backup closer to the officers that are responding to the many calls that they receive. The great job that all these officers do should be recognized in some way as they do a lot more alone and by themselves than a lot of other agencies have their officers do alone. Pack001
I thought this was a really cool episode. It’s not often that we think about Tribal Police and the specific issues they have to deal with. From a jurisdictional standpoint, it seems to be quite confusing. The one officer said how it was like a checkerboard as far as who is responsible for what. I can imagine it is frustrating for some commuters, like the gentlemen that had the handgun in his car. He wasn’t breaking any laws until he entered Navajo territory, and even though he isn’t Native American, he is still subject to the same laws. It’s crazy the amount of square miles one officer is responsible for. Having backup that is close to an hour away could prove to be deadly. I’m sure it’s no secret that these officers are on their own, and it seems likely that criminals would use that to their advantage. I also thought the supernatural element on the reservation was quite interesting. I’m not sure I believe there are real actual skin walkers, or if some people are drinking too much home brew. I did find it interesting that officers are required to investigate each incident no matter how ridiculous it may seem. Overall I enjoyed watching this. It’s cool to see the how different aspects of law enforcement have to deal with different situations and circumstances. RustyPete001
I agree with how we don't have to think or deal with Tribal Police. I never knew it was different than any other officer, or that I never thought of it. I thought the supernatural aspect of it was very interesting as well. Most officers don't have to deal with supernatural things in their patrols, so I think it's interesting that some do, and would have so many different stories than if they were just patrolling a small town. stlblues001
I'm with you on not really thinking about these officers but it's more because they aren't close to us. I'm not sure how many people could do a job like that because of how many more rules there would be then just to be a normal officer. -Pie001
Navajo police officers seem to me like any other police agency, such as county officers. The people they deal with and the crimes and calls they get couldn't be more different. But at the end of the day they are just police officers doing their job. I do believe the Navajo Police are a necessity as natives in the area need officers that understand their way of life and believes. Such as the skinwalkers. Like was said in the video most people would simply ignore that call in most other parts of the country and most other cities. But as Native Americans they have different believes and need officers to understand those believes. The Navajo police are the same as any other police officer. Serving their community and its people. They remind me a lot of Alaska's State Troopers in the sense of the area they serve is large and expansive with backup close to an hour away. But still responding to calls and keeping people in their reservation safe. -Costco001
I agree with Navajo police being a necessity as natives. They are more familiar with the land and seem to be much more adjusted to the culture. Hiring for the Navajo police department is a little different than metropolitan it is in cities. Just hiring an individual as a local patrol officer would work in rural and city areas, but in Navajo, you have to know the culture, its people, and spiritual beliefs. It is quite interesting to think about Navajo officers jobs differ from what most of us think a normal police officers job would be like. I wonder what other bizarre laws they have that we do not have around our area. Bry001
Police officers everywhere has it rougher than everyone. But there are some Police Departments like the Navajo police who has it even more rougher than that. Just going off the fact that their backup is like about 20 miles away and if they have a dangerous call they would have to go by themselves. Which is the number one reason why I would not work for a department like that. I guess it helps a little, that the police officers there get trained to fight off 9 people at a time but that can only get you so far. Because what if some of them have guns, then your in a even worse situation than before and your by yourself. In the video it said that they respond to calls that deals with a supernatural events. To me honestly I would go to the call but my service would be to find those people help and I know that are going off their own beliefs with the Indians past but in reality there is no such thing as supernatural. But all in all I support the Navajo Police and other Police Departments just like them 100% because there are a lot of other officers and people who wants to be officers like myself who wouldn't even put myself in that type of situation.-NIKE001
These tribal officers amaze me. The amount of crap they have to put up with is just unbelievable. Having to not only abide by, but know every law for two states, countless counties, and tribal laws is just a daunting task. These men have to put up with so much, and sometimes more than a regular police officer. The skinwalkers (I believe that is what they are called) was something that I had a hard time understanding. I am by no means well informed on Native American culture, but this seems like a bit of a waste of their departments funds. Like I said though, I am not a Navajo Indian so it really doesn’t mean as much to me. We really need to figure out a way to help these officers. Whether it be more funding, which they desperately need, or thinking of other ways to help them, we need to do something. These officers are overstretched and overworked. The amount of drug and alcohol addiction is crazy on tribal lands, and these officers have to deal with almost all of it. I found it really interesting when the officers made the man coming on to tribal lands pour out every single drop of alcohol. I had no idea that some tribal lands were dry territories. The fact that he actually had to pour out every beer was very funny to me. Overall, the men and women who choose to protect these tribal lands are great individuals,and deserve more recognition.-OKC001
I agree OKC001, despite the fact that it may be their culture, sending a police officer to investigate an attack by a "skinwalker" just seems like such a waste of time and resources. They are very undermanned, so sending an officer to investigate paranormal activity does not seem like the best use of these officers. zmw001
I have to say that the tribal police inspire me and should inspire other police officers to do better. Since they patrol an area as big as Los Angeles. Plus deal with the drugs that get trafficked in to their land. being so under manned makes their work almost useless. I do have to say that I do not fully understand Navajo culture and it makes it hard to understand some of the rituals.steel001
These officers that are employed in these parts of the Navajo Indian reserve are some of the best officers that can be found here in the U.S., due to their small budget they can only have so many officers within their units which makes being an officer here much harder than anywhere else. The job that these officers are able to do is incredible and they should be seen as some of the best officers that the area has to offer. The fact that these officers have to deal with many calls and disturbances alone, with no backup anywhere near them usually is pretty insane. The amount of courage and bravery these officers possess should be commended. Whether it be through extra funding or helping them hire more officers, we need to do something to help lighten the burden that these officers have. It is pretty crazy how much drug and alcohol addiction there is on the reservations and these officers have to deal with all of it. These men and women who serve in these areas definitely deserve more recognition for all that they do, they are all great men and woman who do so much for the Indian Reservations. Pack001
I agree with you. These officers have a tough job, but they do not slack. They are some of the best officers the nation has to offer. They follow the many laws they have to memorize, and the Navajo Traditions as closely as they can. They have so many calls to deal with, all spread out along the lands, they have no back up, and they are only equipped with so much. They handle their jobs very well. agentp001
Being a Navajo police officer would be more difficult because there’s more of an area to cover than a small-town like around here. I know in Pekin, they have multiple officers all over. 3-4 officers patrol Pekin at night, just that I’ve seen. The video says how there’s 6 officers patrolling this huge area. It would be completely different than patrolling downtown Pekin and uptown Pekin. there’s so much more ground they have to cover. Personally, I think it’s freaky being a Navajo officer because there’s sob much ground that’’s dry and open. Since it’s on sacred ground, the officers would have to worry about supernatural things, as well as your normal gags and drug deals. The video explain how skin walkers can turn themselves into animals. It’s interesting to think how different areas all over the United States have completely different law enforcement ways than the ones we’re used to in our town. stlblues001
The first thing that struck me as very interesting is that the first officer featured (Officer Holgate) was said to be one of only six officers on duty. In a small town that wouldn't be bad, but then they said that those six officers patrol a area the size of Los Angeles County. For an area that big, you would usually need more officers. Especially that looking at the landscape of the areas that they patrol, one officer could be out in the middle of nowhere and need emergency backup and the other 5 officers could be spread all over the place and not be able to get to assist very fast. The need to know the geography would also be a major factor in responding to these calls. You need to know how to get to the location as fast as possible to help in needed. I also thought it was interesting how he "blesses himself" before he goes to work to keep him safe. I have never heard of officers using "witchcraft" to help them throughout the shift. You would think that with an area to patrol being so big and with the lack of officers they would have partners but they do not due to low budgets. That seems very dangerous to me, but it did mention that they are trained to defend themselves against seven others by themselves, but in some circumstances that may not be the case and there could be more than seven or they could also have weapons that you can not defend yourself against. I also thought it was interesting how the Navajo Res. has some different laws then the state of New Mexico and how it is like its own state in a way where they have different rules and regulations. I never thought of these Reservations and how they are policed until this class and I find it very interesting a to be a topic that most people do not know about or haven't thought about until it is brought to their attention. Blackhawks001
I couldn't agree with you more they need to have more officers out there because it's just not safe with only six of them patrolling a Los Angeles area. Like you said if they need backup it could be an hour or more. At that rate the officer could already be dead.CRC001
I agree that it is probably new to most people to see such few officers working in small towns when most people grow up around big cities. It would probably be a good idea to expand on that though, as it seems that these Navajo officers probably have their hands full on a day to day basis. gh_blackhawks001
Navajo police officers is probably one of the most difficult jobs out there right now. These police officers have to face and deal with more things on their own. These types of cops have to cover a lot of ground with not many police officers as the cities have. For these guys the biggest problem is the gangs and drug smuggling. With only few officers it’s hard for them to stop everything that’s going on. Just in general these officers seem to deal with more problems. The gangs there are getting very violent and are starting to hurt people and even kill people. It just makes the job very dangerous when you don’t have back up very close. Especially out there because there isn’t really a lot of lights or anything like that at all. It was pretty cool to see that one officer has been trained to take down six people at once. Although when you’re out there with no one around you have to because your life is always in danger or at risk.CRC001
I agree completely that is is totally different then being a police officer like we are accustomed to. The geography and lack of backup would be very hard to wok with considering some of the calls you may receive while working in this area. There is a lot of information about these areas that I never took into consideration and I had no idea that these police departments even existed until now. Blackhawks001
I would say that the job definitely gets even more difficult for Navajo police. Jurisdiction is an issue for these officers, and the problems that stem from these jurisdictional issues would not be easy to deal with on a daily basis. Not having near outside help would also be a struggle for Navajo police. If the Navajo police needed outside help, that assistance could potentially be up to an hour away from their position, offering up very little help by the time they would finally arrive. How these Navajo officers operate and the things they see, and are required to do is quite different than what I am use to hearing and learning about throughout my criminal justice classes, and it is always nice to learn about new stuff related to criminal justice. gh_blackhawks001
I agree with you the job is so much more difficult for the Navajo Police officers. Especially since they don't have as many police officers as normal, and dealing with the long distance. It's very dangerous. -dicaprio001
It's fascinating to see how similar and different the job of policing an Indian reservation can be when compared to policing anywhere else. One of the things that struck me in the video was how much area just one officer had to cover in his patrol. Although the number of people he would be looking after in that large area would be relatively small I would still be nervous to be out in that area without any backup nearby. When we were talking about policing Indian reservations in class one of the things that surprised me the most was how similar it was to military law enforcement. When it comes to jurisdiction the military justice system has arresting authority over all service members wherever they are in the world. In class we learned that Tribal law enforcement has authority over tribal members even when they're off the reservation. Military law enforcement also does not have jurisdiction over US civilians under normal circumstances and cannot arrest and try regular civilians even if they commit an offense on an installation. All they can do is hold them until they can transfer custody to a civilian police department and court jurisdiction. In class we learned the same is true for tribal law enforcement. I wonder if the similarities between the two come from the Army being the first United States authority to be in charge of enforcing the law in native populations. CoolGuy001
I agree that it is striking to see how much more land these officers have to patrol. It would be uneasy to go into those areas and have no back up nearby in the case of an emergency. The jurisdictional system that these officers have is also very interesting to learn about in comparison to military police. Bike001
It's interesting seeing how the Navajo police operate in comparison with police officers of cities and towns. They basically perform the same duties just with way less officers. This is even more dangerous than other police departments because an officer could have to wait for over an hour for backup to show up. I would be pretty scared knowing at any time I could come across a gang and the nearest officer is about thirty miles away. Another thing that I found interesting was that these officers have to respond to paranormal calls. If any other department received a call saying that they got attacked by people who can turn into animals, they would simply be ignored. But the Navajo police officers are legally required to investigate the scene of the alleged attack. Also, Navajo police officers need to know so many laws. Their reservation stretches across two different states and many different counties, and all of the laws of these states and counties need to be known by the officers in order to be their most effective. Being a Navajo police officer seems like such a difficult task, yet these people take on the challenge and for that deserve much more recognition than they receive. zmw001
The Navajo tribal police have a much different time policing than most other departments in this country. Tribal police deal with different situations than other police simply because they are a whole different type of police force. Many tribal police outposts have less officers for a large amount of land that in any other setting would have more on duty officers. Therefore they have a larger area to patrol in which most of the time are barren lands. Often tribal police have to deal with a lot of cases involving drugs because of different laws on their lands. They have to deal with native american gangs and also we learned in class there is a lot of sexual assault cases on women in the reservations. One other difficulty that these departments have to deal with is jurisdictional boundaries. With surrounding county police tribal police have to learn the boundaries and when they can and can not arrest non indigenous people. All around tribal policing seems to have more technical difficulties compared to municipal or county policing. Bike004
Being apart of the Navajo police department and or any tribal police department for that manor would be an extremely demanding role to take on. The way civilization on these reservations takes place is far different from your ordinary department. The officers tactics and ethics on the way they go about policing are very tedious considering the different beliefs and practices the Navajos are accustom too. For instance when the officer got the call about the "skin walkers" they had to respond to it where as any other officer would have just blown the call off. Being in such a huge area/jurisdiction with very few officers there is a lot of crime that is unseen or un-reported. I think one of my biggest fears would be (if I was a Navajo officer) is not always having that guaranteed back up. granted the training of these officers skill set and self defense is a lot more intense all it would take is to come across the wrong person. Another point I had noticed in the video was that they cant always get a K-9 unit to the call. This would tend to get frustrating to me because of not having that dog on hand there are so many possibilities of drugs or illegal activity slipping through. With huge jurisdictions, so many laws and requirements, a lot of drug and gang activity, and very little man power it is hard to efficiently and effectively police. HSP001
The Navajo police have a very difficult job. First off, I did not know that the Navajo reservation stretches across 4 different states. That is a lot of land to be covered by so little force. There are only 320 police officers that are in charge of patrolling and maintaining the Navajo Reservation, which is about 26,000 square miles. It was interesting to find out that some of the officers still participate in some Navajo traditions, like with blessing themselves before going to work to ensure their safety and that they will come home. It was kind of funny too, to see that some of the officers' grandparents give them grief about their jobs. One thing I found odd was the fact that every time the force receives a call about "skin walkers" they are required to do a full investigation. This just goes to show the differences with each police department and how each town, city, or in this case, reservation, needs much consideration of it's people when taking on the responsibilities a police officer has. agentp001
Navajo police have an extremely difficult job. The reservation itself stretches across four different states. That's alot of land to be covered when there is very little force. Only six patrolman covering a reservation the size of LA. Most of the officers ride alone because the budget is tight. The officers are trained to handle seven people single-handed. I know police officers are trained to do that, but most officers have help minutes away. Help on the reservation could be 50 minutes away most of the time. As to where here at home help could literally be minutes away. The Navajo police also patrol the devils highway which is known for gangs, such as the Hell's Angels. Who have been known to be very violent, having shoot out's with other rival gangs. It's cool to me how the Navajo Police have the authority to arrest Non natives. But they are later transferred to the nearest holding off the reservation. Not only do they have to deal with gangs, they have to deal with drugs being smuggled across the border. Being a police officer in general is dangerous, but for the Navajo Police it's extra dangerous. It takes a special person to do this job. -dicaprio001
I agree with you that being a Navajo patrolmen would be a very difficult job to do. The amount of land that you have to look over is crazy, considering that backup could be miles away. Being trained to handle 7 men by themselves is pretty cool in my opinion. I think the amount of training they receive keeps them way ahead of the everyday criminal. Klick001
Its crazy to me that these officers might not see backup on most calls that they do. The training for that must be pretty intense, also their jurisdiction is huge. If they have an altercation with a suspect backup could be 30 minutes away doing something else. The way these officers have to do their job is way different than a metro police officer or even a rural are police officer. Also with the large gang population in these tribal areas makes a much larger risk for these officers. Knowing that the closest patrol unit is 40 to 50 minutes away would ensure that you do what you are trained at all times. I also believe that being a tribal police officer would be good training if you planned on transferring to the department that you wish to work at. Klick001
Navajo police officers is probably one of the most difficult jobs out there right now. These police officers have to face and deal with more things on their own. These types of cops have to cover a lot of ground with not many police officers as the cities have. For these guys the biggest problem is the gangs and drug smuggling. With only few officers it’s hard for them to stop everything that’s going on. Just in general these officers seem to deal with more problems. The gangs there are getting very violent and are starting to hurt people and even kill people. It just makes the job very dangerous when you don’t have back up very close. Especially out there because there isn’t really a lot of lights or anything like that at all. It was pretty cool to see that one officer has been trained to take down six people at once. Although when you’re out there with no one around you have to because your life is always in danger or at risk. Ciaccio001/Ciaccio002
Being a Navajo police officer would be more challenging than being an officer in most normal rural and city areas. One problem these Navajo officers have to deal with would be the environment they are working in because is completely different than what we are used to. Like the video says, only six officers are on patrol and they ride single. There is also a lot more area to cover as opposed to a city police officer and the beat they are assigned to. The landscape in the Navajo area contains a lot of land that is dry and rocky with many plants and a lack of buildings. This job could also be more dangerous because the Navajo police have to deal with gangs, drug lords, and even supernatural forces according to the video. These so called "skin-walkers" transform themselves into animals and haunt the tribal area. One officer in the video eats a special herb and blesses himself everyday before going to work. Law Enforcement is a little different in every area around the US, depending on the location. Bry001
ReplyDeleteIndeed law enforcement varies across the world. It did seem that these officers were particularly isolated. The landscape and problems with depression and gangs would make being a tribal officer quite difficult. I also thought the supernatural aspect was interesting. We got to see officers going against their religious beliefs in order to do their jobs. I think that alone makes tribal police very unique. RustyPete001
DeleteBeing a Navajo police officer would be a very difficult job because there is much more ground for them to cover with less cops. These officers also have to handle crimes not just with people but also the grounds that are sacred. With there be very little jobs around for everyone to work the officers are now having to handle the problems with drugs and even suicide. Where the Navajo land is has a big problem with people transporting drugs because there is very few officers it is hard for them to try and stop the drug transportation. Gangs are also another issue within the state. With these gangs they are getting violent and even killing people. I thought it was interesting that if you were a native tribe member that you would get transported to the nearest jail but that you could be arrested on their grounds. -Pie001
ReplyDeleteThese officers have a very hard job with covering so much ground they are limited on what functions they can perform to ensure safety for all human beings that are living within a given area. Officers also like what you said must make sure they preserve the ground to ensure that it is kept scaracard and respective of the culture. Gangs and drugs are ruining the way of life for these reservation's which law enforcement will come to dismiss by some meads. I also agree that its a person would be transferred if they committed the a crime instead of putting them in a place where they are locked up in which they had just violated. Eagle001
DeleteThe Navajo police have a very challenging job. They have to deal with large amounts of drugs going to and from their area and they have more crime then some large cities. They can even be attacked spiritually. It would be hard to work as a Navajo police officer due to the fact that you work alone in a area larger L.A. The Officers also work alone and back up can be hours away. It was cool that one officer is trained to take on 6 people.
ReplyDeleteEVO001
Working alone to cover all of the ground in an area bigger than Las Angeles. That job sounds impossibly difficult, no matter the job's description. And making it a police officer's job? The requirements may be just beyond that of an officers capabilties. And really, these expectations are quite unfair. - AJC002
Deletei could not image covering all that area by yourself and having 30 to 60 mins before back up could arrive. I do agree that it is unfair and unreasonable to expect them to keep law and order. i honestly think that they have good intentions just not enough help to make their work proficient.steel001
DeleteImagine how difficult it already is for those who have to deal with drug crimes in our cities today. It's not an easy thing to do, and generally takes a lot of time and patience and investigation. Now consider that same officer patrolling an area that in much, much larger than their beat. The ability of this officer to make effective coverage of the land and to stop most crimes would be heavily hindered. And it is so for cops in the Navajo police forces. With few officers and large territories, covering ground is entirely too strainuous on the small crews. On top of that, the rising violence rates within gangs is furthering the problem and overall leading to a sort of failure of the law enforcement agencies in these areas. -AJC001
ReplyDeleteI agree with you AJC001. These officers have so many problems to deal with, in three times the area a normal police department would have to cover with only a fraction of the officers. The gangs coming about are a great point to bring up. Even though these rising threats are very apparent, the amount of officers is staying the same small number, and in the same giant area. -OKC001
DeleteNavajo Police officers have an extremely tough job on a day to day bases. This is also a crazy fact that Navajo Police officer are taught to fight seven different individuals at one period. The main goal of these officers is to protect Indian traditional way of life to ensure their safety and well-being. Also, was spoken of in this video is that this Indian reservation's make for soft targets for criminals bring drugs around these areas. Officers mainly around these areas look for motorcycle gangs as these bring the most toxic subsistence's around the area. Navajo Officers can arrest on their reservation's but they must if the person is not a native bring them to the nearest county for booking purposes which could be an hour away. They must investigate calls for things that other officers would dismiss because they are deemed as supernatural. Such the Indian belief of the Skin Walkers. The Indians also believe that a person may be cursed if they see a dead body, or look at the dead body. Which can be on issue for these officers with keeping respect to the Indians that these officers encounter during their shifts. Backup for these officers could also be a couple hours away so these officers must be careful on how they handle every call they must take part of. Eagle001
ReplyDeleteThe job that these officers have to do while out working in the field is very hard. They often have to answer calls and disturbances by themselves with no backup. The fact that they have to be trained to fight off seven different attackers by themselves is crazy. I believe that we need to do something to help them get more funding so that they hire more officers and be able to have backup closer to the officers that are responding to the many calls that they receive. The great job that all these officers do should be recognized in some way as they do a lot more alone and by themselves than a lot of other agencies have their officers do alone. Pack001
DeleteI thought this was a really cool episode. It’s not often that we think about Tribal Police and the specific issues they have to deal with. From a jurisdictional standpoint, it seems to be quite confusing. The one officer said how it was like a checkerboard as far as who is responsible for what. I can imagine it is frustrating for some commuters, like the gentlemen that had the handgun in his car. He wasn’t breaking any laws until he entered Navajo territory, and even though he isn’t Native American, he is still subject to the same laws. It’s crazy the amount of square miles one officer is responsible for. Having backup that is close to an hour away could prove to be deadly. I’m sure it’s no secret that these officers are on their own, and it seems likely that criminals would use that to their advantage. I also thought the supernatural element on the reservation was quite interesting. I’m not sure I believe there are real actual skin walkers, or if some people are drinking too much home brew. I did find it interesting that officers are required to investigate each incident no matter how ridiculous it may seem. Overall I enjoyed watching this. It’s cool to see the how different aspects of law enforcement have to deal with different situations and circumstances. RustyPete001
ReplyDeleteI agree with how we don't have to think or deal with Tribal Police. I never knew it was different than any other officer, or that I never thought of it. I thought the supernatural aspect of it was very interesting as well. Most officers don't have to deal with supernatural things in their patrols, so I think it's interesting that some do, and would have so many different stories than if they were just patrolling a small town. stlblues001
DeleteI'm with you on not really thinking about these officers but it's more because they aren't close to us. I'm not sure how many people could do a job like that because of how many more rules there would be then just to be a normal officer. -Pie001
DeleteNavajo police officers seem to me like any other police agency, such as county officers. The people they deal with and the crimes and calls they get couldn't be more different. But at the end of the day they are just police officers doing their job. I do believe the Navajo Police are a necessity as natives in the area need officers that understand their way of life and believes. Such as the skinwalkers. Like was said in the video most people would simply ignore that call in most other parts of the country and most other cities. But as Native Americans they have different believes and need officers to understand those believes. The Navajo police are the same as any other police officer. Serving their community and its people. They remind me a lot of Alaska's State Troopers in the sense of the area they serve is large and expansive with backup close to an hour away. But still responding to calls and keeping people in their reservation safe. -Costco001
ReplyDeleteI agree with Navajo police being a necessity as natives. They are more familiar with the land and seem to be much more adjusted to the culture. Hiring for the Navajo police department is a little different than metropolitan it is in cities. Just hiring an individual as a local patrol officer would work in rural and city areas, but in Navajo, you have to know the culture, its people, and spiritual beliefs. It is quite interesting to think about Navajo officers jobs differ from what most of us think a normal police officers job would be like. I wonder what other bizarre laws they have that we do not have around our area. Bry001
DeletePolice officers everywhere has it rougher than everyone. But there are some Police Departments like the Navajo police who has it even more rougher than that. Just going off the fact that their backup is like about 20 miles away and if they have a dangerous call they would have to go by themselves. Which is the number one reason why I would not work for a department like that. I guess it helps a little, that the police officers there get trained to fight off 9 people at a time but that can only get you so far. Because what if some of them have guns, then your in a even worse situation than before and your by yourself. In the video it said that they respond to calls that deals with a supernatural events. To me honestly I would go to the call but my service would be to find those people help and I know that are going off their own beliefs with the Indians past but in reality there is no such thing as supernatural. But all in all I support the Navajo Police and other Police Departments just like them 100% because there are a lot of other officers and people who wants to be officers like myself who wouldn't even put myself in that type of situation.-NIKE001
ReplyDeleteThese tribal officers amaze me. The amount of crap they have to put up with is just unbelievable. Having to not only abide by, but know every law for two states, countless counties, and tribal laws is just a daunting task. These men have to put up with so much, and sometimes more than a regular police officer. The skinwalkers (I believe that is what they are called) was something that I had a hard time understanding. I am by no means well informed on Native American culture, but this seems like a bit of a waste of their departments funds. Like I said though, I am not a Navajo Indian so it really doesn’t mean as much to me. We really need to figure out a way to help these officers. Whether it be more funding, which they desperately need, or thinking of other ways to help them, we need to do something. These officers are overstretched and overworked. The amount of drug and alcohol addiction is crazy on tribal lands, and these officers have to deal with almost all of it. I found it really interesting when the officers made the man coming on to tribal lands pour out every single drop of alcohol. I had no idea that some tribal lands were dry territories. The fact that he actually had to pour out every beer was very funny to me. Overall, the men and women who choose to protect these tribal lands are great individuals,and deserve more recognition.-OKC001
ReplyDeleteI agree OKC001, despite the fact that it may be their culture, sending a police officer to investigate an attack by a "skinwalker" just seems like such a waste of time and resources. They are very undermanned, so sending an officer to investigate paranormal activity does not seem like the best use of these officers. zmw001
DeleteI have to say that the tribal police inspire me and should inspire other police officers to do better. Since they patrol an area as big as Los Angeles. Plus deal with the drugs that get trafficked in to their land. being so under manned makes their work almost useless. I do have to say that I do not fully understand Navajo culture and it makes it hard to understand some of the rituals.steel001
ReplyDeleteThese officers that are employed in these parts of the Navajo Indian reserve are some of the best officers that can be found here in the U.S., due to their small budget they can only have so many officers within their units which makes being an officer here much harder than anywhere else. The job that these officers are able to do is incredible and they should be seen as some of the best officers that the area has to offer. The fact that these officers have to deal with many calls and disturbances alone, with no backup anywhere near them usually is pretty insane. The amount of courage and bravery these officers possess should be commended. Whether it be through extra funding or helping them hire more officers, we need to do something to help lighten the burden that these officers have. It is pretty crazy how much drug and alcohol addiction there is on the reservations and these officers have to deal with all of it. These men and women who serve in these areas definitely deserve more recognition for all that they do, they are all great men and woman who do so much for the Indian Reservations. Pack001
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. These officers have a tough job, but they do not slack. They are some of the best officers the nation has to offer. They follow the many laws they have to memorize, and the Navajo Traditions as closely as they can. They have so many calls to deal with, all spread out along the lands, they have no back up, and they are only equipped with so much. They handle their jobs very well. agentp001
DeleteBeing a Navajo police officer would be more difficult because there’s more of an area to cover than a small-town like around here. I know in Pekin, they have multiple officers all over. 3-4 officers patrol Pekin at night, just that I’ve seen. The video says how there’s 6 officers patrolling this huge area. It would be completely different than patrolling downtown Pekin and uptown Pekin. there’s so much more ground they have to cover. Personally, I think it’s freaky being a Navajo officer because there’s sob much ground that’’s dry and open. Since it’s on sacred ground, the officers would have to worry about supernatural things, as well as your normal gags and drug deals. The video explain how skin walkers can turn themselves into animals. It’s interesting to think how different areas all over the United States have completely different law enforcement ways than the ones we’re used to in our town. stlblues001
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that struck me as very interesting is that the first officer featured (Officer Holgate) was said to be one of only six officers on duty. In a small town that wouldn't be bad, but then they said that those six officers patrol a area the size of Los Angeles County. For an area that big, you would usually need more officers. Especially that looking at the landscape of the areas that they patrol, one officer could be out in the middle of nowhere and need emergency backup and the other 5 officers could be spread all over the place and not be able to get to assist very fast. The need to know the geography would also be a major factor in responding to these calls. You need to know how to get to the location as fast as possible to help in needed. I also thought it was interesting how he "blesses himself" before he goes to work to keep him safe. I have never heard of officers using "witchcraft" to help them throughout the shift. You would think that with an area to patrol being so big and with the lack of officers they would have partners but they do not due to low budgets. That seems very dangerous to me, but it did mention that they are trained to defend themselves against seven others by themselves, but in some circumstances that may not be the case and there could be more than seven or they could also have weapons that you can not defend yourself against. I also thought it was interesting how the Navajo Res. has some different laws then the state of New Mexico and how it is like its own state in a way where they have different rules and regulations. I never thought of these Reservations and how they are policed until this class and I find it very interesting a to be a topic that most people do not know about or haven't thought about until it is brought to their attention. Blackhawks001
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more they need to have more officers out there because it's just not safe with only six of them patrolling a Los Angeles area. Like you said if they need backup it could be an hour or more. At that rate the officer could already be dead.CRC001
DeleteI agree that it is probably new to most people to see such few officers working in small towns when most people grow up around big cities. It would probably be a good idea to expand on that though, as it seems that these Navajo officers probably have their hands full on a day to day basis.
Deletegh_blackhawks001
Navajo police officers is probably one of the most difficult jobs out there right now. These police officers have to face and deal with more things on their own. These types of cops have to cover a lot of ground with not many police officers as the cities have. For these guys the biggest problem is the gangs and drug smuggling. With only few officers it’s hard for them to stop everything that’s going on. Just in general these officers seem to deal with more problems. The gangs there are getting very violent and are starting to hurt people and even kill people. It just makes the job very dangerous when you don’t have back up very close. Especially out there because there isn’t really a lot of lights or anything like that at all. It was pretty cool to see that one officer has been trained to take down six people at once. Although when you’re out there with no one around you have to because your life is always in danger or at risk.CRC001
ReplyDeleteI agree completely that is is totally different then being a police officer like we are accustomed to. The geography and lack of backup would be very hard to wok with considering some of the calls you may receive while working in this area. There is a lot of information about these areas that I never took into consideration and I had no idea that these police departments even existed until now. Blackhawks001
ReplyDeleteI would say that the job definitely gets even more difficult for Navajo police. Jurisdiction is an issue for these officers, and the problems that stem from these jurisdictional issues would not be easy to deal with on a daily basis. Not having near outside help would also be a struggle for Navajo police. If the Navajo police needed outside help, that assistance could potentially be up to an hour away from their position, offering up very little help by the time they would finally arrive. How these Navajo officers operate and the things they see, and are required to do is quite different than what I am use to hearing and learning about throughout my criminal justice classes, and it is always nice to learn about new stuff related to criminal justice.
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I agree with you the job is so much more difficult for the Navajo Police officers. Especially since they don't have as many police officers as normal, and dealing with the long distance. It's very dangerous. -dicaprio001
DeleteIt's fascinating to see how similar and different the job of policing an Indian reservation can be when compared to policing anywhere else. One of the things that struck me in the video was how much area just one officer had to cover in his patrol. Although the number of people he would be looking after in that large area would be relatively small I would still be nervous to be out in that area without any backup nearby. When we were talking about policing Indian reservations in class one of the things that surprised me the most was how similar it was to military law enforcement. When it comes to jurisdiction the military justice system has arresting authority over all service members wherever they are in the world. In class we learned that Tribal law enforcement has authority over tribal members even when they're off the reservation. Military law enforcement also does not have jurisdiction over US civilians under normal circumstances and cannot arrest and try regular civilians even if they commit an offense on an installation. All they can do is hold them until they can transfer custody to a civilian police department and court jurisdiction. In class we learned the same is true for tribal law enforcement. I wonder if the similarities between the two come from the Army being the first United States authority to be in charge of enforcing the law in native populations. CoolGuy001
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is striking to see how much more land these officers have to patrol. It would be uneasy to go into those areas and have no back up nearby in the case of an emergency. The jurisdictional system that these officers have is also very interesting to learn about in comparison to military police. Bike001
DeleteIt's interesting seeing how the Navajo police operate in comparison with police officers of cities and towns. They basically perform the same duties just with way less officers. This is even more dangerous than other police departments because an officer could have to wait for over an hour for backup to show up. I would be pretty scared knowing at any time I could come across a gang and the nearest officer is about thirty miles away. Another thing that I found interesting was that these officers have to respond to paranormal calls. If any other department received a call saying that they got attacked by people who can turn into animals, they would simply be ignored. But the Navajo police officers are legally required to investigate the scene of the alleged attack. Also, Navajo police officers need to know so many laws. Their reservation stretches across two different states and many different counties, and all of the laws of these states and counties need to be known by the officers in order to be their most effective. Being a Navajo police officer seems like such a difficult task, yet these people take on the challenge and for that deserve much more recognition than they receive. zmw001
ReplyDeleteThe Navajo tribal police have a much different time policing than most other departments in this country. Tribal police deal with different situations than other police simply because they are a whole different type of police force. Many tribal police outposts have less officers for a large amount of land that in any other setting would have more on duty officers. Therefore they have a larger area to patrol in which most of the time are barren lands. Often tribal police have to deal with a lot of cases involving drugs because of different laws on their lands. They have to deal with native american gangs and also we learned in class there is a lot of sexual assault cases on women in the reservations. One other difficulty that these departments have to deal with is jurisdictional boundaries. With surrounding county police tribal police have to learn the boundaries and when they can and can not arrest non indigenous people. All around tribal policing seems to have more technical difficulties compared to municipal or county policing. Bike004
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DeleteBeing apart of the Navajo police department and or any tribal police department for that manor would be an extremely demanding role to take on. The way civilization on these reservations takes place is far different from your ordinary department. The officers tactics and ethics on the way they go about policing are very tedious considering the different beliefs and practices the Navajos are accustom too. For instance when the officer got the call about the "skin walkers" they had to respond to it where as any other officer would have just blown the call off. Being in such a huge area/jurisdiction with very few officers there is a lot of crime that is unseen or un-reported. I think one of my biggest fears would be (if I was a Navajo officer) is not always having that guaranteed back up. granted the training of these officers skill set and self defense is a lot more intense all it would take is to come across the wrong person. Another point I had noticed in the video was that they cant always get a K-9 unit to the call. This would tend to get frustrating to me because of not having that dog on hand there are so many possibilities of drugs or illegal activity slipping through. With huge jurisdictions, so many laws and requirements, a lot of drug and gang activity, and very little man power it is hard to efficiently and effectively police. HSP001
ReplyDeleteThe Navajo police have a very difficult job. First off, I did not know that the Navajo reservation stretches across 4 different states. That is a lot of land to be covered by so little force. There are only 320 police officers that are in charge of patrolling and maintaining the Navajo Reservation, which is about 26,000 square miles. It was interesting to find out that some of the officers still participate in some Navajo traditions, like with blessing themselves before going to work to ensure their safety and that they will come home. It was kind of funny too, to see that some of the officers' grandparents give them grief about their jobs. One thing I found odd was the fact that every time the force receives a call about "skin walkers" they are required to do a full investigation. This just goes to show the differences with each police department and how each town, city, or in this case, reservation, needs much consideration of it's people when taking on the responsibilities a police officer has. agentp001
ReplyDeleteNavajo police have an extremely difficult job. The reservation itself stretches across four different states. That's alot of land to be covered when there is very little force. Only six patrolman covering a reservation the size of LA. Most of the officers ride alone because the budget is tight. The officers are trained to handle seven people single-handed. I know police officers are trained to do that, but most officers have help minutes away. Help on the reservation could be 50 minutes away most of the time. As to where here at home help could literally be minutes away. The Navajo police also patrol the devils highway which is known for gangs, such as the Hell's Angels. Who have been known to be very violent, having shoot out's with other rival gangs. It's cool to me how the Navajo Police have the authority to arrest Non natives. But they are later transferred to the nearest holding off the reservation. Not only do they have to deal with gangs, they have to deal with drugs being smuggled across the border. Being a police officer in general is dangerous, but for the Navajo Police it's extra dangerous. It takes a special person to do this job. -dicaprio001
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that being a Navajo patrolmen would be a very difficult job to do. The amount of land that you have to look over is crazy, considering that backup could be miles away. Being trained to handle 7 men by themselves is pretty cool in my opinion. I think the amount of training they receive keeps them way ahead of the everyday criminal.
DeleteKlick001
Its crazy to me that these officers might not see backup on most calls that they do. The training for that must be pretty intense, also their jurisdiction is huge. If they have an altercation with a suspect backup could be 30 minutes away doing something else. The way these officers have to do their job is way different than a metro police officer or even a rural are police officer. Also with the large gang population in these tribal areas makes a much larger risk for these officers. Knowing that the closest patrol unit is 40 to 50 minutes away would ensure that you do what you are trained at all times. I also believe that being a tribal police officer would be good training if you planned on transferring to the department that you wish to work at.
ReplyDeleteKlick001
Navajo police officers is probably one of the most difficult jobs out there right now. These police officers have to face and deal with more things on their own. These types of cops have to cover a lot of ground with not many police officers as the cities have. For these guys the biggest problem is the gangs and drug smuggling. With only few officers it’s hard for them to stop everything that’s going on. Just in general these officers seem to deal with more problems. The gangs there are getting very violent and are starting to hurt people and even kill people. It just makes the job very dangerous when you don’t have back up very close. Especially out there because there isn’t really a lot of lights or anything like that at all. It was pretty cool to see that one officer has been trained to take down six people at once. Although when you’re out there with no one around you have to because your life is always in danger or at risk. Ciaccio001/Ciaccio002
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