OKMULGEE, Okla. – A law allowing the Lighthorse Police Department of the Muscogee Nation to enhance its Sex Offenders Registration and Notification (SORNA) Program was passed by the Business, Finance, and Justice (BFJ) committee of the MCNNC on Oct. 17, and was passed by National Council on Oct. 22.
This law, sponsored by Representative Dode Barnett of the Creek District, will allow the Lighthorse Police to enhance its Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) program to attempt to fix the issue of sex offenders not registering when entering tribal lands, as well as attempt to educate the general public and keep citizens safe.
The Lighthorse Police hope that the funding provided by the bill will also allow them to help educate sex-offenders about SORNA and how they must register with the tribe, even if they are not a member of said tribe, when they are living within tribal lands.
According to Deputy Chief Daniel Wind III, one of the main obstacles of getting people to register is that most offenders don’t know about the requirement to register with the tribes, as they usually are not told upon release. In addition, SORNA is really not well known among the public in general.
The bill received unanimous support from the National Council, having been passed with a vote of 15-0.
This issue has become more well-known in recent weeks due to the arrest of Jimcy McGirt, a Muscogee citizen known for his role in the McGirt case which helped to uphold tribal sovereignty. McGirt was arrested by the Seminole Nation for failing to register as a sex offender on Aug. 31.
Rep. Barnett responded to the media request for comment.
“I am happy to support the meaningful work of the Lighthorse SORNA program,” Rep. Barnett said in a statement. “This 3 year grant will support and expand the capability of LH officers, and strengthen their ability to protect our reservation. Our Lighthorse department is doing a good job of utilizing what we have but also searching for other resources.”
Lighthorse Deputy Chief Wind III said the funds provided by the three-year grant will pay for the hiring, training, and equipping of an officer who specializes specifically in SORNA. This officer would work with 5 compliance officers and 1 intake officer to help monitor the 966 sex offenders, both tribal and non-tribal, who live within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.
For those who are concerned about sex offenders in your area, there is an app that can be used to find out if a sex offender lives in your area. This app can be found at nsopw.gov.
