Read Cherokee Nation Marshal Shannon Buhl's Letter | Read Letter to Federal Officials
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — More than 30 local Oklahoma law enforcement officials, including Cherokee Nation Marshal Shannon Buhl, issued a letter warning about a threat from the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians (UKB) that is undermining their ability to hold criminals accountable and keep communities safe. In addition to the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, law enforcement agencies across the reservation, including 13 county sheriffs and 18 municipal police departments, signed the letter opposing the UKB’s actions and recognizing the Cherokee Nation’s partnership and commitment to public safety in Cherokee communities.
The UKB Lighthorse – with no legal authority – claims to be a police force with jurisdiction over the entire Cherokee Nation. The UKB is a threat to the safety of all in the Cherokee Nation Reservation.
As the law enforcement officials write in the letter, “The UKB Lighthorse are a threat to public safety on the Cherokee reservation and a threat to the rule of law in Oklahoma. The UKB has no authority or jurisdiction throughout the 7,000 square miles of the Cherokee Nation Reservation.”
The letter outlines concerns from local law enforcement and communities that underscore the real-life consequences of UKB actions for Oklahomans. To preserve public safety, Cherokee Nation and local law enforcement have put the UKB on notice – their illegal actions must stop.
As law enforcement agencies state in the letter, “[W]e hereby put the UKB on notice that they are not welcome at stops or crime scenes where our agencies are involved and if they appear, will be asked to leave. Failure to immediately vacate the scene will subject the UKB Lighthorse to potential criminal prosecution under Cherokee Nation law and potentially Oklahoma law.”
As a result of the UKB Lighthorse’s intervention, a recent DUI arrest in Tahlequah was dismissed due to the lack of legal jurisdiction of the UKB Lighthorse, which made the initial stop of the vehicle. This instance, among others, demonstrates the damage that the UKB Lighthorse is causing and illustrates how potential criminals could be put back on the streets due to the UKB’s unauthorized and unlawful actions.
“Cherokee Nation is committed to protecting our community and preserving our tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, Reservation, and citizens. We must stand together to protect our rights,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “Cherokee Nation is the sole holder of our treaties with the United States, and we possess exclusive tribal jurisdiction over our Reservation.”
Additionally, Cherokee Nation launched a new website, CherokeeFacts.com, that tells the definitive history of Cherokee Nation. The website is a resource for the community and serves as a call to action for Cherokee citizens to remain vigilant against false claims and threats to Cherokee Nation’s treaty rights.
Cherokee Nation’s new website and the letter from law enforcement underscore how the UKB’s actions can erode public trust in law enforcement and lead to situations where the safety of both citizens and officers is at risk. As Marshal Buhl and the 31 local law enforcement leaders caution, the UKB Lighthorse and its officers are impeding justice and putting innocent people’s well-being and lives at risk.
Marshal Buhl recently authored an op-ed that detailed the threat posed by the UKB Lighthorse to all citizens within the Cherokee Nation Reservation, making it clear that local communities are less safe and lives are put in danger as a result of the UKB’s jurisdiction claims and this illegal group.
Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., and Cherokee Nation Attorney General Chad Harsha sent a letter to federal officials, echoing law enforcement’s concerns about the UKB’s fake “police” force and the threat the UKB poses to public safety and the Cherokee Nation’s tribal sovereignty.
The letter from the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service and other signatories was sent to federal and local officials. For a full copy of the letter, click HERE.