Community Relations Service

Daryl Borgquist
202/305-2966

     WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Justice Department today announced the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service Director Sharee M. Freeman will speak to the National Native American Law Enforcement Association (NNALEA) as part of a VIP Panel at its 11th Annual Training Conference and Homeland Security Forum on November 5, 2003, from 2:15 to 4:30 p.m. in Fort Worth, Texas. The Conference will be held from November 4-6, 2003, at the Doral Tesoro Hotel, 3300 Championship Parkway, Fort Worth, Texas 76177.

     The Community Relations Service, along with other Justice Department and federal agencies, have formed a strong partnership with NNALEA to address critical law enforcement issues which concern Native American communities.

     NNALEA is coordinating this training event with the U.S. Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Offce. Hundreds of Native American Law Enforcement representatives, tribal and elected officials, community leaders, criminal and juvenile justice professionals, emergency planners, first responders, prosecutors and attorneys from across the country will attend.

     The Community Relations Service is a unique component of the U.S. Department of Justice which provides conflict resolution and prevention assistance on a wide variety of issues and disputes involving Native American tribes, community, and federal, state, and local officials on or near reservations. CRS assistance includes community conflicts over: use of reservation lands for sanitary and hazardous waste landfills, leasing of tribal lands to non-tribal members for housing and business, jurisdictional disputes between tribes and state and local governments, public demonstrations, hunting and fishing rights, Native American remains and artifacts, and use of religious sites on state and federal lands.

     More information about the Community Relations Service can be found at: www.usdoj.gov/crs.

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