ONEIDA NATION POLICE FORCE

The Oneida Nation Police force was secretly established in the early 1990’s to supposedly serve the Oneida people. In 1994 the outcast “CEO” led nine of his police into the community cookhouse to assure Territory residents any laws to be made would be enacted only with our input; we were told the police would never be used against us. Despite these promises the Oneida Nation Police, none of whom are native, have become politicized. They have allowed themselves to become involved in illegal surveillance activities, conducted unlawful arrest and conducted forcible entries into our homes.

In 1993, Jerry Schenandoah and Leonard Babcock, two Oneida men, were arrested in two separate incidents for "trespassing" when they entered the Oneida Nation owned Turning Stone Casino to play bingo. When the charges were brought before Verona Town Justice David Reed they were dismissed outright resulting in an effort by the “CEO” to have Reed dismissed from his position.

in 1994 Diane Schenandoah, Matt Jones, and Vickie Halsey walked in and sat down in the longhouse (Our sacred, social and political meeting place). Halbritter pointed at them and ordered the police: "get those people out of here." They were physically removed from the building by armed Oneida Nation Police.

Officer reaching for his gun at Clanmother’s home

Police Confiscating private property

Another ordinance was enacted without the approval or knowledge of the Oneida people in 1999 which prohibited unlicensed vehicles on the territory. At a dawn raid in March, 2000 the Oneida Nation Police removed a number of vehicles which were later vandalized while in ONP custody.

In 1998 a surveillance report surfaced which detailed the ONP’s “Bureau of Investigation” was conducting illegal surveillance activities outside of their jurisdiction. Vehicles were followed and serious privacy rights breac hed. As a result of the ONP’s actions a number of Oneidas were stripped of their benefits.

MOST RECENT ONEIDA NATION POLICE INJUSTICE

ASSAULTED BY ONEIDA NATION POLICE

November 16, 2001, Danielle Patterson, an Oneida Indian and mother of three children, ages 7, 9, and 10, was forcibly and violently removed from her home and arrested on November 16, 2001 by armed Oneida Nation Police. She had good cause to fear that if her home was inspected, it would face the fate of 11 other homes on the Oneida Indian Territory all of which were inspected, condemned and immediately demolished. Approximately 22 individuals, comprised of armed Oneida Nation police, and a unit of the Oneida City Police were joined by Peter Carmen the so-called Oneida Nation Prosecutor at the Patterson home to witness the forced entry and inspection.

While Danielle stood in front of the door of her home, the police officers attacked her physically when she asked why they were there. They yanked her mother, 69 year old Wolf Clanmother Maisie Shenandoah off the porch while seven officers shoved Ms. Patterson repeatedly against the door. They grabbed Ms Patterson from all sides and forced her off her porch while they yanked on her arms, back and neck and pulled out chunks of her hair. One proclaimed, "You are under arrest for resisting arrest". They assaulted her and took her to a holding facility without serving her papers or telling her she was under arrest.

During the inspection, the police ripped open her bedroom drawers, throwing her clothes all over the floor, broke a lamp, dismantled her kitchen pipes and ripped out a triangular door in the bathroom. Ms. Patterson was not read the Miranda rights nor charged with contempt of a court order until she arrived at the Oneida Nation Police headquarters in Canastota. This attack was directed by ONP public safety commissioner Pierce.

The arrest of Ms. Patterson was the result of her efforts to repair her furnace. Ms. Patterson had been trying to fix her home on her meager income, doing beadwork. The Oneida Nation refused to comply with a 1998 Madison Court Order to garnish her ex-husband’s paycheck, who is an Oneida Nation employee, because of Ms. Patterson’s political views. Nor has she received any help from the Oneida Indian Nation over the past 7 years because of her political views.

After Ms. Patterson’s furnace malfunctioned, Stoneleigh Housing, a contractor with Madison County, had approved Ms. Patterson for a furnace. However, ONP commissioner Pierce threatened to take away Ms. Patterson’s children because she had no heat, then wrote a letter to Stoneleigh Housing, ordering them not to have the furnace delivered until the Oneida Nation Police carried out their inspection. Since then, there have been two to four Oneida Nation Police cars stationed 24 hours at the front of the Territory to prevent any furnace delivery, and periodically stop vehicles to check if they carry any furnaces. Last month, Oneida Nation Judge Hancock, Oneida Nation employee, ruled that inspections by the Oneida Nation Police on the Oneida Nation Territory are legal. Many of the homes previously demolished were in excellent condition, the residents of which are now denied a new home on the Territory.

Ms. Patterson’s children have been traumatized over this constant harassment by the Oneida Nation Police. The children had been living with Ms. Patterson’s sister since Mr. Pierce’s threat. One of the children, 7 year old Jolene fully witnessed this recent attack on her mother.

Jolene’s letter 7 years old

Ms. Patterson went to the Oneida Health Center Emergency Room on November 16 and was treated for severe bruising, neck and back injuries and emotional trauma resulting from the arrest. No local police agency would go to the hospital to investigate the injuries as they are required to under NY State law. The Oneida Nation Police later demanded the hospital records be turned over to them. The Oneida Health Center refused.

On November 21, 2001, on Thanksgiving eve, a notice was issued by Arthur F. Pierce, the ONP's “commissioner of public safety” ordering the demolition of Patterson’s home despite Madison County’s determination the residence was up to regional code.