SB170 Alabama 2018 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Greg AlbrittonSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2018

Title

Poarch Creek Indians, granted police powers under certain conditions, employment of police officers , Secs. 36-21-120 to 36-21-124, inclusive, am'd.

Summary

SB 170 would extend the Poarch Band of Creek Indians the same police powers as the Mowa Band of Choctaw Indians, allowing them to hire police officers to protect their reservation and enforce laws, with limited off-reservation authority under defined conditions.

What This Bill Does

It amends Alabama law to include the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in the framework that lets tribes employ police officers to protect reservation boundaries and residents. The officers would have powers similar to university police, including bearing firearms and enforcing laws on the reservation. Their authority would be limited to reservation property, with off-reservation pursuit or felony arrests allowed only under specified circumstances, and funding would not come from state or local government budgets.

Who It Affects

• Poarch Band of Creek Indians (the tribe and its Tribal Council) – gains authority to appoint and employ police officers and fund them using tribal resources, with powers on the Poarch Reservation.
• Residents, employees, and visitors of the Poarch Creek Indian Reservation – benefit from enhanced security and law enforcement on the reservation, including arrest and ejection of trespassers for offenses committed on reservation grounds.

Key Provisions

• Adds the Poarch Band of Creek Indians to the existing law authorizing tribal police to protect reservation boundaries and safety, with powers similar to university police.
• Defines 'Police Officer' as a certified law enforcement officer appointed by the applicable tribe and meeting Alabama POST standards; expands the 'Reservation' to include Poarch Creek Indian Reservation along with Mowa Choctaw lands.
• Section 121 states the intent to employ tribal police to protect the reservation and its residents, granting officers powers comparable to university police.
• Section 122 allows the tribe's Tribal Council to appoint and employ police officers, with funding no longer provided by state or local law enforcement funds.
• Section 123 gives tribal police officers powers of state/municipal officers, including bearing firearms and performing arrests for certain offenses on reservation property.
• Section 124 limits police powers to reservation premises, permitting off-reservation pursuit or felony arrests only under specified conditions (pursuit off-reservation, or felony/arrest within reservation boundaries).
• Effective date is immediate after governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Indians