O-D Editorial: Don’t let anger hurt the people
Apr. 14, 2000

The Oneida County Board of Legislators this week vented its displeasure with the Oneida Indian Nation by unanimously approving a request to terminate a long-standing deal between the county Sheriff’s Department and the Oneida Indian Nation police.

Doing something to voice anger over the demise of land claims talks is certainly popular with residents of the land claim area.

It is also very understandable human nature.

But is the legislative action good public policy? No.

The fact of the matter is that the deal did not help the Oneidas as much as it helped people from the county who went to the Turning Stone complex in Verona and to other Oneida-owned land. It was simply more efficient and effective to allow the Nation police to enforce state laws on Indian-owned land than it was to have anyone else do that job.

It has also been more cost-effective. Abrogating the agreement will not feel so good when the county has to start paying more money to transport prisoners to the county jail who have been arrested on Nation land, or handling other calls currently handled by Nation officers.

If the county has concerns about the actions of Nation police, that’s another matter. Former Nation officer Edward Fike has made allegations of misconduct against the department. If deep concerns about the Oneidas’ force were behind the action — and they had all been explained — severing ties might be justified. However, Legislator Neil Angel, R-Durhamville, has said that the deal probably would not be ended if it were not for the breakdown in talks to resolve the Oneidas’ land claim.

If county officials wanted to blame state officials for the breakdown — certainly one reasonable interpretation of events — would they then sever ties with the state? Of course not. That would be absurd. It would be impossible. But it would be no less nonsensical than the county’s actions to break off its ties with the Oneidas’ police force because the Oneidas are being blamed for the failure of negotiations.

Fortunately, the legislators’ action was only a request that Sheriff Daniel Middaugh end the deal. Middaugh needs to let emotions cool, and then do what sound judgment demands — don’t fix something that is not broken.