Harwood on tribal policing: ‘A local matter’

Rep. Dick Harwood, R-St. Maries, testified against the tribal policing bill. “There’s no accountability,” he told the House Judiciary Committee. “You don’t have an elected official that’s going to be over this. It diminishes the state law, and what it does is it violates your civil liberties as a non-tribal member.” Harwood said, “This is a local matter. I think we can get it resolved - maybe not right away, maybe later.” He added, “There’s a real active distrust on both sides.”

Harwood said, “They’re saying that you have to buy a tribal hunting license to hunt on your own private property. … Folks, this to me, this is kinda like the health care bill, I think. You’ve got the American public screaming and saying don’t do this, don’t do this, and it seems to me we’re bent to shove this down Benewah County’s throat. This is a local matter, I think it should be presented and handled in a local matter.”