FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 30, 2024
Rapid City, SD – For nearly two years, the Native community in the Rapid City area has been calling for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the Rapid City Police Department for their ongoing pattern of discrimination against Native people. On Friday, September 27, the Oglala Sioux Tribe unanimously passed a historic resolution echoing that call, and demanding justice for the systemic civil rights violations that Indigenous People have faced for generations.
In response, NDN Collective released the following statement:
“The Oglala Sioux Tribe’s resolution acknowledges the continued pattern of racial profiling, harassment, and violence against our community by local law enforcement agencies in Rapid City and Pennington County. These acts are not isolated incidents— they reflect a broader system of oppression that was never designed to protect Indigenous People but to suppress, brutalize, and silence us.
“The Oglala Sioux Tribe’s resolution is not just a call for accountability—it’s a powerful stance for Indigenous sovereignty and the protection of our people. We are joined by other tribes and allies in this fight, and are committed to defending the dignity and safety of our relatives both on and off the reservation.
“Our demands are clear: the DOJ must launch an immediate investigation into the discriminatory practices of the Rapid City Police Department and Pennington County. We have raised our voices for too long without action, but we will not stop until our calls for justice are answered.
“Let this be a reminder that Native people will not stand idly by and allow systems of violence continue harming our communities. We will continue to resist, organize, and demand the dismantling of these structures of oppression. Our resolve is stronger than ever – and together, we will hold these institutions accountable.”
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NDN Collective is an Indigenous-led organization dedicated to building Indigenous power. Through organizing, activism, philanthropy, grantmaking, capacity-building, and narrative change, we are creating sustainable solutions on Indigenous terms.