Twelve recruits representing nine tribal law enforcement agencies are set to graduate Tuesday from North Dakota’s first basic law enforcement training for tribal police officers. The inaugural 14-week class of the Indian Country Police Officer Training Program, held at Camp Grafton Training Center near Devils Lake, marks a significant expansion of training options for tribal nations in the northern region. Previously, the sole basic training available to tribal officers was located at the U.S. Indian Police Academy in New Mexico.
Leaders from North Dakota and neighboring northern states have consistently identified the distant New Mexico academy as a considerable obstacle in recruiting new tribal police officers. The establishment of basic training within North Dakota aims to mitigate this challenge. Charles Addington, principal director for justice services and law enforcement for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, released a statement describing the response to the new program as "overwhelmingly positive." Addington further noted that this pilot offering provides agencies across the northern region with renewed hope by giving them a closer, more accessible option for training their officers.
Among the participants in this first class is one North Dakota tribal police recruit, who joined from the BIA Turtle Mountain Agency. Other recruits in the program hail from tribal nations across Washington, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Wisconsin. The Bureau of Indian Affairs had also promoted the program to tribes in Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa.
The convenience of a closer training location has been a central benefit. Jamie Azure, Chairman of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, emphasized the positive impact on family life. He stated that officers no longer need to travel across the country for training before returning to serve their own communities. Azure explained that being closer provides more opportunity for more people. Sgt. Mike Roy, a school resource officer for the Three Affiliated Tribes, shared his own experience, noting he would have preferred a closer option when he attended the tribal law enforcement academy in New Mexico. Roy recounted the difficulty of being away from his wife and children in North Dakota for five months, explaining that it was hard and that had the training been in North Dakota, he could have returned home on weekends.
The comprehensive training curriculum at Camp Grafton encompasses nearly 600 hours of instruction across various disciplines essential for law enforcement. According to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, these areas include report writing and court testimony, federal and tribal criminal law, emergency vehicle operations, firearms fundamentals, and arrest and control techniques.
Addington clarified that a primary goal of this pilot program is to evaluate Camp Grafton’s capabilities as a viable training site. This assessment includes ensuring that adequate resources, facilities, and a sufficient number of instructors are in place to sustain and provide the basic law enforcement course well into the future.
Looking ahead, the Bureau of Indian Affairs plans to offer multiple tribal basic law enforcement courses in the coming year. Each of these future classes is projected to accommodate between 24 and 36 officers. In addition to basic law enforcement training, the bureau will also introduce basic training for tribal correctional officers. Further specialized training modules are planned for both tribal police and corrections officers, covering critical areas such as missing persons investigations, defensive techniques, addressing child and elder abuse, and conducting high-risk traffic stops. Addington affirmed that all academy programs are instructed by subject-matter experts with extensive experience in tribal communities, equipped to handle the complex and sensitive investigations often encountered in Indian Country.
