Tribal police will now be working alongside deputies with the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office.
Muskogee County Sheriff Rob Frazier said this new partnership with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation not only makes it safer for deputies out working the beat, but also for those living out in the county.
Deputies in rural parts of Oklahoma patrol everything from country roads to big cities.
Sheriff’s offices often partner and work with other police agencies to help put as many officer out patrolling as possible.
”If we can get more people out on the street to make our citizens safer and our own deputies that’s what it’s all about,” said Frazier.
Tribal law enforcement is all around Oklahoma and the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office is now cross-deputized with the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police.
"There’s going to be twice as many law enforcement out on the street and presently right now the Creek Nation they can come and possibly assist, with the cross-deputization it’s going to allow them to take more action,” said Frazier.
The Lighthorse Police already patrol an area four times the size of Rhode Island, so this agreement benefits them too.
”When it comes to our jurisdictional properties, are kind of checkerboard, they’re all over our boundaries, so it really helps by having these other agencies with us,” said Chief Robert Hawkins, Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police.
Sheriff Frazier is happy about the agreement as it means more safety for his deputies.
"You know we had a deputy that got assaulted a few weeks ago and the Creek Nation was only about 15 minutes away at the time and they didn’t know it,”
Now the two agencies can communicate and work together.
Chief Hawkins said this is now the fourth county agreement Lighthorse Police have.
