Navajo Nation Advances Mutual Aid Agreements With Neighboring Jurisdictions

On November 11 the Navajo Nation Law and Order Committee voted unanimously to advance three Mutual Aid Intergovernmental Agreements between the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, the Navajo Police Department, and partner jurisdictions Navajo County, Coconino County, and the Hopi Tribe. The committee approved Legislation No. 0238 25, 0243 25, and 0244 25 by a vote of three in favor and none opposed, incorporating three amendments meant to strengthen enforcement language and clarify procedural standards. The legislation will move to the Naabik’íyáti’ Committee for final consideration.

The agreements formalize cooperative operations by authorizing certified officers to operate under cross commissioning and to enforce criminal and traffic laws of both the Navajo Nation and the State of Arizona to the full extent allowed by law. The text aims to prevent any jurisdiction from becoming a refuge for offenders, reduce interjurisdictional flight, and ensure consistent enforcement across reservation and adjacent county lines. LOC Chair Eugenia Charles Newton framed the agreements as a direct response to community concerns. “Our Diné people have repeatedly called for stronger action to protect their communities,” she said. “Too often, offenders have used jurisdictional gaps to escape accountability. This agreement closes those gaps and gives our Division of Public Safety the tools, partnerships, and legal authority it needs to safeguard every corner of the Nation.”

The measures set specific procedures for cross commissioning, training standards through the Navajo Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, and shared operational guidelines for emergencies and disasters. Supervisory control remains with each participating agency for its own officers while agencies coordinate during joint operations. Extradition procedures are delineated, requiring written requests and warrants from the requesting jurisdiction, and requiring that arrested individuals be brought before a judge to confirm identity and offered the right to counsel and bail.

Vice Chair Nathan Notah emphasized longstanding operational barriers that the agreements are intended to remove. “This is long overdue,” he said. “For too long, our law enforcement officers have faced barriers that limited their ability to pursue and detain violent offenders. These agreements represent a unified approach to protecting our people and ensuring no one uses the Navajo Nation as a refuge from justice.”

For Apache County residents the agreements could mean faster cooperation across borders in serious cases and clearer protocols in multi jurisdiction incidents. The measures also raise governance questions about oversight, training and civil rights protection as the Naabik’íyáti’ Committee prepares to consider final approval. Authorities and community members will be watching the next steps as the Nation balances sovereignty, intergovernmental partnership, and public safety.