"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Cross Deputization Agreement Reaffirmed

Wagoner County Sheriff Deputies and Cherokee Nation Marshals pause outside the Wagoner County Courthouse after reaffirming their cross-deputization agreement. Pictured are (l-r): Undersheriff Mark Day, Doug Grammer, Bob Haley, Travis Goodman, James Carver, Justin Voyles, Jeff Stiles, Eugene Smith, Jason Jenkins, Chief Deputy Rick Myers, Sheriff Johnny Cannon, Cherokee Nation Marshal and Marshal Service Director Sharon Wright, Cherokee Nation Council Member Don Garvin, James Harper, Randy Donnelson, Jon Ketcher, Mike Roach, Brett Mull and Jess Anderson.

WAGONER, Oklahoma – The Cherokee Nation and the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Department have reaffirmed their agreement to provide the best possible law enforcement for citizens in the Wagoner area.

Last year, the agencies entered into a contract to cross deputize, meaning that all officers will be able to quickly respond to calls and assist each other when needed. This week, the two entities continued the agreement by signing another contract. After the signing of the agreement, the officers participated in a swearing-in ceremony.

“This is a good working relationship for both the county and for Cherokee Nation,” said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “It helps both agencies move more quickly on investigations when they know that they can work out the jurisdiction issues at a later time. In addition, since we can back each other up, all our officers are kept safer in crisis situations.”

The Cherokee Nation Marshal Service has a special operations team, narcotics investigators, a methamphetamine lab eradication team and other specialized services it can offer area police and sheriff offices through cross-deputizing agreements.

“The Wagoner County Sheriff’s Department has been able to work with us on drug task force initiatives and have better access to our drug task force, as well as each of our officers sharing their expertise in the field,” said Major Sharon Wright, Director of the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service. “We have also been better able to assist one another in times of natural disasters.”

The tribal Marshals held workshops last year for the county deputies that included training and information on the history of the tribe’s Marshal Service, federal jurisdiction and examples of court cases that deal with jurisdiction issues.