- Details
- By Native News Online Staff
The Navajo Nation Council’s Law and Order Committee on Tuesday, Nov. 11, unanimously advanced three mutual-aid agreements aimed at strengthening law enforcement cooperation between the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, the Navajo Police Department, and three neighboring jurisdictions: Navajo County, Coconino County, and the Hopi Tribe.
The agreements are intended to improve coordination, communication, and joint enforcement of criminal and traffic laws across the Navajo Nation and surrounding areas.
Committee Chair Eugenia Charles-Newton of Shiprock said the agreements directly respond to long-standing concerns raised by community members about gaps in public safety.
“Our Diné people have repeatedly called for stronger action to protect their communities,” Charles-Newton said. “Too often, offenders have used jurisdictional gaps to escape accountability. This agreement closes those gaps and gives our Division of Public Safety the tools, partnerships, and legal authority it needs to safeguard every corner of the Nation.”
The agreements formalize cooperative law enforcement operations, including cross-commissioning of peace officers between the Navajo Nation and its partner agencies. Certified officers would be authorized to conduct searches, make arrests, and enforce criminal and traffic laws of both the Navajo Nation and the State of Arizona, as allowed by law. Officials say the measures are designed to prevent any jurisdiction from becoming a safe haven for offenders and to ensure consistent enforcement.
Vice Chair Nathan Notah, who represents Coyote Canyon, Mexican Springs, Naschitti, Tohatchi and Bahastl’a’a’, called the action a necessary advancement for the Nation’s justice system.
“This is long overdue,” Notah said. “For too long, our law enforcement officers have faced barriers that limited their ability to pursue and detain violent offenders. These agreements represent a unified approach to protecting our people and ensuring no one uses the Navajo Nation as a refuge from justice.”
The agreements also outline extradition procedures between the Navajo Nation and the partner jurisdictions. Extradition requests must include written documentation and warrants issued by the requesting authority. After arrest, individuals will appear before a judge to confirm their identity and will retain rights to counsel and bail.
Additional provisions address cross-commissioning procedures, Navajo Peace Officer Standards and Training (Navajo POST) requirements, and coordinated responses during emergencies and disasters. Each agency will maintain supervisory control over its own officers during joint operations.
“This is a historic step toward stronger partnerships and a safer future,” Charles-Newton said. “By standing together with our neighboring counties and the Hopi Tribe, we reaffirm the sovereignty of the Navajo Nation and our shared commitment to justice and community safety.”
The committee voted 3–0 to approve Legislation Nos. 0238-25, 0243-25, and 0244-25, which include amendments clarifying enforcement and procedural language. The measures now move to the Naabik’íyáti’ Committee for final consideration.
More Stories Like This
50 Years of Self-Determination: How a Landmark Act Empowered Tribal Sovereignty and Transformed Federal-Tribal RelationsSault Ste. Marie Tribe Voters Show Strong Support for 3-Branch Government in Advisory Poll
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation to Host Puneesuwak “Honoring” Our Veterans Event
Lumbee Recognition Debate Rekindled in Senate Hearing
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
