Published: March 26, 2009 09:40 am      

Sheriff, Chickasaw police to team up

Commissioners may sign assist agreement

DUNCAN — The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office may soon work closer with the Chickasaw Lighthorse police if the Stephens County commissioners sign an agreement during next week’s meeting.

Stephens County Sheriff Wayne McKinney presented the cross-deputization agreement Monday to the commissioners for consideration during their meeting. The commissioners decided to wait until next week’s meeting to consider the action.

Entering into this mutual aidtype agreement with the Chickasaw Nation will allow Lighthorse police officers to back up the sheriff’s department with any calls and vice-versa, if need be, McKinney said.

Another benefit with this agreement is that all the county deputies will have law enforcement arresting powers on Chickasaw Nation lands, such as at the Chisholm Trail Casino if Lighthorse requests aid from the sheriff’s department, McKinney said.

There is a Lighthorse officer who lives in Loco, he said.

Currently, only Chickasaw Lighthorse police officers can enter and patrol at the casino because of the sovereign nation status of the Chickasaw Nation, whose headquarters are in Ada.

But before deputies could aid Lighthorse police, all the deputies will have to be specially trained in the intricacies of tribal law. They will then receive a card from the Bureau of Indian Affairs proving their ability to help Lighthorse, McKinney said.

And because the Chickasaw Nation is a sovereign nation, when deputies help Lighthorse, their actions will fall under federal guidelines, rather than the state’s, he said.

McKinney approached the Chickasaw Nation about entering into an agreement rather than other tribes primarily because the borders of the Chickasaw Nation are closer than others.

Also discussed Monday is a possible county-wide burn ban.

The commissioners declined the opportunity to enact a county wide burn-ban because of recent moisture in the area and the possibility of more rain on the way this week.

Commissioner Dee Bowen said he knows of several farmers who were burning brush piles this past week and no grass fires resulted from their actions.

The farmers also notified the local fire department before beginning to burn their piles, Bowen said.

Also on the agenda:

• A county deed property acquired at resale were signed to the winning bidder of two lots in the City of Duncan. The lots were sold for $163.43.

• No bids were received for asphalt. The commissioners will now need to contact their suppliers daily for a price quote rather than having a monthly or six-month price quote.