By Santee Ross, University of Montana

Eastern Shoshone Business council member Ivan Posey attended the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing to testify on the one-year evaluation of the Tribal Law and Order Act.

A little fun fact for those Obama supporters, the president signed this act in July of 2010. Personally, I think Obama may have some Indian blood in him. Maybe his great grandma was a ... never mind.

According to Posey's transcript, the Tribal Law and Order Act could help tribes across the country regarding the violent crimes and substance abuse problems that exist on many reservations.
According to the Sept. 29 edition of the Wind River News, the Act has not been fully implemented on the Wind River Reservation, but it was selected as one of four tribes nationwide to lower the crime rate under a new program called the High Performance Priority Goal.

"Along with this initiative came additional funding for our Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement and our tribal court system. This additional funding allowed for several more officers...and more personnel in our tribal court system,” said Posey.

I for one noticed this increase in BIA cops when I was pulled over recently. It seems everybody drives 70 mph on that road between my cousin's house and the farmer's big field, so I honestly think I was stopped because my powwow jamz were too loud.

Regardless of my brush with the law, the increase in BIA law enforcement within the Wind River Reservation is there to decrease the amount of crime. Through HPPG, crimes on the Wind River Reservation have dropped, according to the story in the WRN.

"Like many reservations we were plagued by murders, drug trafficking, white collar and violent crime,” Posey said. Posey's testimony goes on to address various important factors needed in successfully helping the Wind River Reservation through the Tribal Law and Order Act so that it can be fully implemented.

If the Act succeeds, it may bring hope and a brighter future ... well, anyway that’s something positive my auntie would say.

Santee Ross is a freshman at the University of Montana. She is Hopi from Lander, Wyoming.