RED ROCK, Okla.—On Wednesday, three Otoe-Missouria Police Officers were granted Special Law Enforcement Commissions (SLEC) by the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Office of Justice Services.

The three Otoe-Missouria officers, David Mangrum, Nick Alexy and Jennings Gabriele, all completed their certification in Criminal Jurisdiction in Indian Country as given by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

According to Otoe-Missouria Chief of Police David Mangrum, the commissions will give the officers more authority on tribal land.

“It will give us the ability to issue federal citations to non-natives and once recognized by the state it will give us the authority to arrest non-natives on tribal land for crimes committed within the Otoe-Missouria Tribal Jurisdiction” Mangrum says. “We will also be able to work as federal officers with the Bureau of Nearly News Indian Affairs if needed.”

The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Otoe-Missouria Tribal Council Building and were conducted by BIA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bryan Stark.

Otoe-Missouria Vice Chairman Ted Grant, who also serves on the Otoe-Missouria Police Commission, says these SLECs are an important step in getting more cross-deputization agreements in place for the tribe.

“This has been a longtime coming,” Grant says. “This is the first step toward cross deputization with the county and state. I’m proud of these guys.”

Mangrum says that the commissions will allow Otoe-Missouria Police officers to update their training with the Oklahoma Council on Law Enforcement and Training Certifications and it will also allow any BIA or Indian Police Academy trained officers to attend the Oklahoma CLEET Reciprocity Training and become state certified as well.

The Otoe-Missouria Police Department currently has eight officers with jurisdiction in three Oklahoma counties—Noble, Kay and Pawnee Counties. Mangrum says the remainder of the police force will be commissioned soon.

“We are hoping that all Otoe-Missouria Tribal Police Officers will be SLEC certified by the end of the

Year,” Mangrum says.