Breaking Bread: Dumanis’ and Gore’s Luncheons With Tribes Build ‘Common Ground’

This is Part II of a three-part series on the legal jurisdiction over San Diego County tribal reservations, how that is enforced and what improvements are being made in relations between tribes and local government.

, Bryan Wildenthal, professor of Native American Law at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, commented that relations with local tribes have improved in the era of Sheriff Bill Gore and District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis.

"There's better rapport than there used to be," he said. "They've tried to visit all the reservations."

In an interview with Patch, Dumanis said the historical relationship between local government and native American tribes "" until about nine years ago. She took office in 2003.

"We're communicating now," she said. "We needed to improve communication because the tribes are a vital part of this region."

A public relations spokeswoman for the Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians, Nikki Symington, told Patch, "Years ago, the County only used to go out to reservations on warrants for dead-beat dads. It was always a 'We're in charge' kind of attitude from the Sheriff's Department and county government. Many tribal members felt that the Sheriff's Department was prejudiced and that the tribes didn't get enough protection."

She said the public needs to understand that not all crime on reservations has been committed by native Americans but sometimes people from outside the tribes leased properties and carried out criminal activities, knowing there wasn't a lot of attention paid by local law enforcement to the reservations.

Symington said she previously worked for the Viejas tribe and has worked for tribal reservations in the county for 27 years.

"It's a different world now," she said. "The Sheriff's Department sees the reservations in a different light."

Symington said the tribes have been pushing for more protection on their lands for years.

"Crime did fester on the reservations because there was no money to enforce laws under Public Law 280," she said.

Wildenthal said the law was an "" that made state agencies responsible for enforcing state-level laws on California reservations, without providing any money to back it up.

Under the gaming compacts in California, there was a compromise made, Symington said. States would allow certain types of gambling on the reservations if the tribes gave back part of the money to the states.

"Gaming has changed the local tribal economies and benefited relationships with local government," she said. "Under the compact, tribes can grant money to the District Attorney's Office," she said.

Symington said Sycuan and Barona give about $3 million total to the County each year.

She said that in the early 2000s when casinos were being established, the tribes wanted to be responsible citizens and they reached out to local government. At that time, she said, Dumanis decided to establish quarterly round tables on the reservations between the tribes and local law enforcement.

"It began to break down barriers," she said. "Bonnie expanded (the connections) because she wanted to learn more. When she and Bill Gore came in, they began to talk about things. Bonnie has been very open. The round tables have been really good for discussing technicalities about how to handle things. There are a lot of gray areas in PL 280."

Greg Thompson, policy officer and tribal liaison for the Sheriff's Department, told Patch, "We have very strong relationships with tribal government and a good measure of the credit is due to Bonnie Dumanis. When the gaming was due to go in, the DA had the vision to be proactive and say, 'We've got to get out there, ahead of this. From a historical perspective, before the early 2000s, there wasn't the intensity that gaming brings. When casinos go into reservations, it brings thousands and thousands of people out there. It's like bringing in Disneyland."

Dumanis and Gore each won a Good Neighbors award from Rincon this year for their efforts.

"I'm really proud of it," Dumanis said of her award.

She said she began the round tables by bringing together all the tribal chairs and the Sheriff.

"It's important to have the Sheriff at the table," she said. "It strengthened all our relationships. We're working together as a team."

Symington told Patch, "We've found common ground. We have peace now."

Dumanis said the round tables have been an opportunity to sit down and "break bread" with tribal chairs.

"We have a meal together" she said. "Sometimes the state attorney general comes too. We meet on the various reservations. Barona was one of the first tribes to reach out and offer their facilities for a luncheon."

Dumanis said the meetings improve trust and "keep everyone safer."

"They have become a model for the rest of the state," she said.

For example, a police officers' training group from the state came down and did a video of the round table process, Dumanis said.

She said that in between the gatherings, her office provides speakers to the tribes on subjects such as sexual violence, identity theft, drugs and other issues that are shared in common.

"The tribal chairs know they can pick up the phone and call," she said. "They tell us what they need and we send out an expert in the field to do a town-hall type of meeting. We've sponsored legislation together too."

Dumanis said some of the gaming compact funds have been used to produce videos for the tribes on issues such as elder abuse and gambling addiction.

In summary, she said that working with the tribal governments takes "a special person."

"We have great relationships. At the same time, all levels of local government have their own personality and the tribes are no exception. We have worked on many cases together. We have a duty toward them. At the same time, there is always the issue of going through their tribal channels to do things. You have to have the kind of regard that benefits us all."

Rincon tribal chair Bo Mazetti and Patch have been unable to connect due to scheduling. His comments will be added when the connection is made.

Patch contacted the State Attorney General's Office for comment on the round tables being a model for the state, however, no comment was received in time for this story.

The Barona Indian Reservation government affairs contact did not respond to our communications.