Oglala Sioux Tribe Declares State of Emergency Amid Rising Crime

Tribe president accuses U.S. government of failing to fulfill treaty obligations, worsening law and order situation on the reservation.

Oglala Sioux President Frank Star Comes Out is expected to declare a state of emergency on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation due to rampant crime.
The declaration comes six months after a federal judge ruled that the U.S. government has a treaty obligation to support law enforcement on the reservation, but did not specify the full funding amount.
Star Comes Out claims that crime has worsened since the ruling and accuses the U.S. government and its agencies of being primarily responsible for the breakdown of law and order on the reservation.
The tribe contends it is entitled to federal funding for 120 fully equipped officers for the reservation, a claim disputed by the federal government.
The case’s outcome could affect other reservations, including some where Native women are killed at a rate more than 10 times the national average.