Rep. Leon Smith, R-Twin Falls, asked what the down side would be to making federal marshals out of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe's law enforcement officers on its reservation. "We already send our officers to the Idaho POST academy," tribal legislative director Helo Hancock responded. He said the tribe views the federal option as a "last result," but it is "doable in the event we don't have another option." However, the tribe already has POST-trained officers enforcing state laws in the Kootenai County portion of its reservation, and would prefer to follow the same approach throughout the reservation.

Rep. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise, asked if under the federal approach, violators would have to go to federal court, and Hancock said yes.