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Riverside County Sheriff Calls for Closure of Soboba Casino
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The Riverside County Sheriff is calling on federal gaming officials to shut down the casino run by the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians. Sheriff Stan Sniff says tribe officials continue to shield the reservation from the long arm of the law. KPCC's Steven Cuevas has the latest.
Steven Cuevas: At a briefing before the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, the sheriff called on the National Indian Gaming Commission to suspend the casino's gambling license.
Stan Sniff: Unless and until the tribal council allows unhindered and unrestricted access by law enforcement authorities on to the reservation to enforce California criminal statues. In response from the National Indian Gaming Commission some time back, we have quietly worked to provide them with crime information regarding Soboba at their request.
Cuevas: Sheriff Sniff says tribe security continue to block deputies from entering the reservation when trying to conduct non-emergency business like serving a search warrant. Sniff warned that anyone interfering with a deputy is subject to arrest.
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Tribe chairman Robert Salgado says unless responding to a 911 call deputies, like everyone else, must check in with tribe security and state their business. Salgado acknowledges that deep disagreements still exist over how to police the reservation. At issue is Public Law 280, the federal law meant to define the limitations of outside law enforcement on Indian reservations.
Robert Salgado: My grandfather, who was the chairman at Pechanga, he always used to say unless the roads were not public, they were reservation and they stayed with the reservation. The sheriff's could come to the beginning of the reservation and they have to stop, unless on a 911 call. And that's my understanding because my grandfather was very influenced in law 280 and Indian civil rights.
Cuevas: The latest war of words comes on the heels of several high profile deputy involved shootings on the reservation over the past year. The family of a tribe member killed in one of those incidents filed a wrongful death claim earlier this month.
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