From the Director: The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs: Working with Tribal Partners to Reduce Crime and Recidivism on American Indian Reservations

From the Director

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From the Director: The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs: Working with Tribal Partners to Reduce Crime and Recidivism on American Indian Reservations

Darren Cruzan, Director, U.S. Office of Justice Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs

With those words, Thomas Lightfoot, U.S. Indian Agent to the Iowa and the Sac and Fox American Indian tribes in Nebraska, became the first officer to report to a federal American Indian police agency. From that 1869 decision springs the humble beginnings of the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ (BIA’s) role in law enforcement.

Though our knowledge, training, tactics, and equipment have changed dramatically since that time, our commitment to serving American Indian communities has stayed strong. We are an important part of the law enforcement community, and we are very proud to serve and protect those living on American Indian reservations.