By BROOKLYN BROWN
One Feather Reporter
CHEROKEE, N.C. – The Cherokee Police Commission of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) met on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, in the Ginger Lynn Welch Large Conference Room for their monthly meeting.
Chairmen Gene Tunney Crowe (Birdtown) called the meeting to order. Secretary Anita Lossiah (At-Large) led roll call. Board members attending were Chairman Gene Tunney Crowe (Birdtown), Vice Chairman Joseph Buddy Johnson (Big Cove), Secretary Anita Lossiah (At-Large), Frank Dunn (Wolftown), Lisa Taylor (Painttown), Kym Parker (Yellowhill). Hillary Norville (Snowbird & Cherokee Co.) had an excused absence. There is one vacant “At-Large” seat. The Commission unanimously approved the agenda. Guests in attendance were Holly Kays, Smoky Mountain News; Christian Siewers, Jr., associate counsel from the Office of the Attorney General; and Cherokee Indian Police Department (CIPD) Chief of Police Carla Neadeau.
Secretary Lossiah read the NRE report from Oct. 1, 2023, through Dec. 31, 2023. The report listed 24 issued citations resulting in 25 charges, including 19 fishing or hunting violations, five traffic violations and one other violation.
Police Chief Neadeau read the CIPD all programs December report. The report listed 1,239 calls for service averaging 40 per day for Cherokee, N.C. Cherokee County and Snowbird tallied 122 calls averaging four per day. The narcotics division conducted 12 checkpoints, with a caseload of 200 cases. CIPD had zero complaints from the public. There are 10 patrol officer position openings, one opening for a school resource officer position, one juvenile officer position, two corrections officer positions, two maintenance positions, one special operations position, one probation officer position, and one probation sergeant position.
Chief Neadeau also reported one first time confinement for the women’s jail, and 13 returning. There were four first time confinement in the men’s jail, and 31 returning. In the drug report, Chief Neadeau listed five women arrested and four men on drug charges. There are 17 cases in Tribal Court for drug charges. Two firearms were seized, 3.5 grams of marijuana, 9.6 grams of crystal meth, 32.52 opioids, four non-fatal drug overdoses, and one fatal drug overdose. CIPD also responded to a total of five suicide attempts, one being a juvenile.
The special operations team served 101 civil papers with none outstanding and conducted 23 transports.
The commission then went into a closed session.
The next meeting will be on Feb. 8 at 12 p.m. in the Ginger Lynn Welch Large Conference Room.
