Comments undermine Nation’s efforts to combat drug trafficking on Nation Territories
ALLEGANY TERRITORY, SALAMANCA, N.Y. – The Seneca Nation is demanding action from City of Salamanca officials in light of a recent exchange between the City’s Police Chief and the Cattaraugus County District Attorney which contemplates hostility, and even criminal charges, against Seneca Nation Marshals enforcing Nation Executive Orders seeking to remove and exclude known drug dealers and users from Nation lands.
In a recent email exchange, Salamanca Chief of Police Jamie Deck asked Cattaraugus County District Attorney Lori Rieman whether the Salamanca Police Department could entertain potential charges “for Kidnapping, etc.” against Seneca Nation Marshals if they forcefully removed individuals who are the subject of Nation Exclusion Orders from Seneca territory.
Rieman replied “I think we can definitely charge them with crimes if they remove them.”
The email exchange came just weeks after a Seneca elder was murdered in his Salamanca home, with rumors that the suspect was under the influence of illegal drugs. President Seneca and his predecessors have issued multiple Executive Orders excluding known drug dealers and users from Nation territory and have moved to evict tenants at several properties on Nation lands where criminal activity is known and proven to have taken place.
“The Seneca Nation will stop at nothing to eliminate illegal drug activity on our territories, including in Salamanca, which is on our land,” President Seneca continued. “The drug trafficking activity, the drug dealers and those who support them are a threat not just to the Seneca people, but to our neighbors as well. The law enforcement leaders of Salamanca and Cattaraugus County should assist us in stopping what is going on here. Instead, they’re discussing ways to line up against us. What will it take for them to wake up – more crime and violence?”
Upon learning of the exchange between Deck and Rieman, President Seneca sent a letter to Salamanca Mayor Sandy Magiera demanding action from the City’s leaders.
“I want to be crystal clear with you,” the letter states. “Neither I, nor the Nation’s Council, will tolerate interference by the City or the City police in the internal affairs of the Seneca Nation government to remove drug traffickers from our territory. The Nation has many options available to prevent Chief Deck and his police force from interfering in our sovereign right of self-government. We expect that you will take corrective action against Chief Deck – who appears to be running interference for drug traffickers – and provide an assurance that the Nation’s efforts to protect the people of the Allegany Territory will not be disrupted.”
While the Nation continues its fight against the wave of illegal drug activity on its territories, it is still waiting for New York Governor Kathy Hochul to sign a key piece of legislation that would strengthen the Nation’s efforts.
Earlier this year, the Nation presented and advocated for legislation amending Chapter 8 of New York Indian Law. The bill (S8127/A8289), which passed both the New York State Senate and Assembly, is aimed at strengthening state laws authorizing the removal of non-Native intruders from Nation lands.
“What’s the hold-up? Why are the Seneca Nation and our people again forced to wait on the back burner for Governor Hochul to take action,” President Seneca asked at a morning press conference. “The bill passed by the Legislature would be a significant step forward in our ability to protect our people. All the Governor needs to do is sign it so we can move forward in partnership with local law enforcement in getting the drug dealers out of our community.”
Other recent steps the Nation has taken to strengthen law enforcement on its territories include:
- Advocating for changes to federal law 25 U.S.C. 232, which the federal government used in 1948 to give New York State criminal jurisdiction over non-natives on Native Nation territory within the state’s boundaries, over the objection of the Seneca Nation. The amendments being proposed by the Nation seek to elevate federal law enforcement responsibilities on Nation lands by a compact with the Nation, and to modify jurisdiction as needed to allow growth of Nation law enforcement self-government.
- Pursuing law enforcement services agreements with the Erie County and Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Departments to provide enhanced law enforcement coverage for the Nation’s Cattaraugus and Allegany Territories
- Working with the Erie County Sheriff and Cattaraugus County Sheriff to establish confidential tip lines for residents of the Nation’s Cattaraugus and Allegany Territories to report criminal activity
- Hosting day-long summit with a delegation of federal officials from the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Office, the Department of the Interior and Bureau of Indian Affairs, and several state and local law enforcement agencies, focused on combatting illegal drug activity and drug trafficking on the Nation’s sovereign territories
- Funding the cost of narcotic detection K9s for both the Erie County and Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Offices
- Gifting seven surveillance cameras to the City of Salamanca, which were placed along the Penssy Trail to enhance monitoring and crime prevention efforts
“We have positive, productive relationships with the Sheriffs in Erie, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties, but we’re met with adversarial inaction in combatting illegal drug activity in the city of Salamanca, which is located on our Allegany Territory,” President Seneca said. “Protecting our people and the people of Salamanca is our main priority and our ultimate goal. We won’t let a City police chief or a County District Attorney stand in our way. The Seneca Nation will make every effort to make sure all people on our territories are safe.”
