By BROOKLYN BROWN
One Feather Reporter
CHEROKEE, N.C. – The Cherokee Police Commission held their first meeting of 2025, including the newly sworn commissioners, in the Ginger Lynn Welch building on the afternoon of Thursday, Jan. 16.
Commissioners in attendance were Joseph Buddy Johnson (Kolanvyi, Big Cove), Rick Queen (Wayohi, Wolftown), Regina Rosario (Aniwodihi, Painttown), Kym Parker (At-Large), Hillary Norville (Tutiyi, Snowbird & Tsalagi Gadugi, Cherokee Co.), Israel Rodriguez (At-Large), Anita Lossiah (Elawodi, Yellowhill), and Gene Tunney Crowe (Tsisqwohi, Birdtown).
Guests in attendance were Cherokee Indian Police Department (CIPD) Attorney Cody White, Cherokee One Feather Editor Robert Jumper, and Cherokee One Feather Reporter Brooklyn Brown.
The meeting was called to order at 12:08 p.m. by former Chairperson Crowe
The commission elected new officers. The first election was for the position of chairperson. Johnson nominated Crowe. Rodriguez nominated Lossiah. Norville, Parker, Rosario, Rodriguez, and Lossiah voted for Lossiah. Queen, Johnson, and Crowe voted for Crowe. Lossiah was elected as chairperson and moved to conduct the rest of the meeting.
Rosario nominated Crowe for vice chairperson, and Crowe was the sole nominee. Crowe was elected as vice chairperson.
Crowe nominated Parker for secretary, but Parker withdrew her name from consideration. Rosario nominated Norville, but Norville also withdrew her name from consideration. Parker nominated Rodriguez, and Rodriguez was elected as secretary. Queen volunteered to assist Rodriguez with his various roles as secretary, including minute keeping and distributing the agenda.
Rosario nominated Parker for treasurer. Rodriguez nominated Johnson, but Johnson withdrew his name for consideration. Parker was elected as treasurer. Johnson and Norville volunteered to assist Parker in the various roles of treasurer, including monthly stipend processing, travel and training spending, and overseeing the budget.
In orientation of the new commissioners, Chairperson Lossiah stated that the purpose of the commission was the oversight of law enforcement and the public safety of the community. The commissioners will be completing Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) training at a future meeting.
White provided the monthly report for CIPD. White noted in the report that overdoses in 2024, both fatal and non-fatal, have decreased significantly since 2023, with an average of 10 per month in 2023, which decreased to 5 per month in 2024. White reiterated that CIPD is supposed to be involved in every overdose that is called in to dispatch. He emphasized that in fatal overdoses, CIPD starts an immediate investigation into death by distribution. White also noted that CIPD keeps naloxone (Narcan) readily available in Cherokee tribal courts, the clerk’s office, and the front desk of the Anthony Edward Lossiah Justice Center.
The report included that special victim crimes were the most common on average in 2024, with an average of 79 cases per month. Rodriguez asked White how the commission could help to decrease that number. White encouraged the commissioners to discuss the importance of reporting special victim crimes with their communities, rather than protecting offenders. White said reporting helps to create a bell-curve effect, where numbers of cases increase, but crime eventually decreases with the conviction of offenders.
Rosario asked about prosecution of mothers for babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). White said prosecution is difficult because of jurisdiction issues, as the prosecution must prove that the mother used drugs in the jurisdiction of the court, but convictions are possible if there is proof of drug use in the associated jurisdiction.
White said he is currently prosecuting tribal court cases for the prosecutor’s office due to staffing shortages, but applications are open, and the office is working on contracting prosecutors.
White shared that cameras are now positioned around the Qualla Boundary that have the capability to read license plates that may be connected to AMBER alerts or other criminal activity.
Rosario asked about the new evidence building, which White responded is currently being built in the gravel lot below the Anthony Edward Lossiah Justice Center.
The meeting adjourned at 1:25 p.m.
