Hopi Tribe and Arizona Department of Public Safety Sign Mutual Aid Agreement During Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day in Phoenix

Phoenix - On Wednesday, January 12, 2022, the Hopi Tribe, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) signed and entered into an agreement for mutual aid and the cross commissioning of AZDPS Troopers.

The agreement provides for the orderly and effective enforcement of criminal and traffic laws on the Hopi Reservation through mutual aid assistance between Hopi Law Enforcement Services (HLES) and AZDPS. It will also provide cross-commissioning of AZDPS troopers on the Hopi Reservation to enforce Hopi law. By allowing the Hopi Tribe and AZDPS to lend assistance across jurisdictional boundaries, this agreement enhances public safety for all Arizonans.

The Hopi Tribe is a sovereign nation located in northeastern Arizona. The reservation encompasses more than 1.6 million acres (larger than the state of Delaware) and occupies parts of Coconino and Navajo counties. Hopi Tribe has twelve villages located on three mesas with an estimated population of more than 10,000 people.

“We are delighted to have collaborated with the AZDPS to create this agreement which will help supplement our HLES to increase the potential for orderly and effective enforcement of the criminal and traffic laws of the Hopi Tribe,” said Hopi Tribal Chairman Timothy Nuvangyaoma, "the Agreement leads to a foundation that together, we can build upon the availability of law enforcement and medical services in case of emergency.”

Colonel Heston Silbert, Director of AZDPS, said, “This agreement provides the framework for mutual aid and the cross-commissioning of AZDPS troopers on the Hopi Reservation in efforts to enhance greater public safety and cooperation.”