Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Narragansett Indian Tribal Police will have access to a state police network to share information and gain access law enforcement databases nationwide, Governor Carcieri announced Thursday.

Under the agreement reached by the trial police and the Rhode Island State Police, the Narragansetts police will be part of the Rhode Island Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (RILETS), which allows police departments to check on driver's licenses, car registrations, criminal history and warrants, and police broadcasts.

Tribal police and conservation officers patrol the tribe's land off Route 2.

Narragansett tribal officials had tried to gain access for some 11 years and last year threatened to sue for discrimination. Until now, tribal officers had to call the State Police on a cell phone and give the dispatcher a password for a trooper to run a check for them. Sachem Matthew Thomas complained areas within the tribe's heavily wooded lands don't get cell phone signals and the delay in accessing information put his officers at risk.

VIDEO: Watch Narragansett Sachem Matthew Thomas discuss how tribal officers were denied access to the state system. Sachem Thomas had threatened to sue the state for discrimination.

 Tags  Narragansett Indians Providence RI

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