Port Gamble S’Klallam Natural Resources Director Paul McCollum said Thursday two law enforcement officers who detained three men on suspicion of hunting violations near Brinnon on Saturday were acting properly.
“From the protocols I’ve seen, yeah, this was acceptable,” McCollum said.
McCollum said the two officers were working as game agents under his department and not as tribal police.
That would make no difference in the jurisdiction of the tribal law enforcement agents, according to information from Jefferson County Sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Stringer, who is a former officer with the Suquamish tribe.
Stringer said the jurisdiction is the same for all tribal law enforcement officers whether they are game agents or police.
That jurisdiction would be on tribal land, or if they are dealing with tribal members or if they have a cross-commission from the sheriff.
Jefferson County Sheriff Tony Hernandez said the Port Gamble S’Klallam do not have a cross-commission with Jefferson County.
McCollum said his agency’s report had been completed and forwarded to state hunting officials but did not identify which office.
“The illegal hunting part of this is still under investigation, and we have sent it into the state for review.
“Right now, there is a lot of speculation as to what happened, but we will be releasing the report.”
When asked for more information, McCollum declined comment until a later time.
McCollum said he would make an attempt to release the report Thursday night.
Hernandez said late Thursday that his office had not received it.
“I’ve contacted them, and they promised me I would be getting it very soon,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez said he had no new information on the investigation.
State Department of Fish and Wildlife Deputy Chief Mike Cenci said his office would not have new information until today.
Both Hernandez and Cenci said Wednesday their departments are investigating after Adam Boling of Brinnon filed a complaint with the sheriff’s office.
Boling, 28, said he, his 2-year-old son and two friends — Don Phipps and Danny Phipps, both of Shelton — were detained illegally by law enforcement agents of the Port Gamble S’Klallam tribe’s natural resources department at gunpoint on private property Saturday.
Boling said in the complaint that agents approached them screaming and with guns drawn, after Don Phipps shot and killed an elk under the conditions of a special permit.
Boling also said his 2-year-old son was left wandering around the area, screaming and crying, as the three men were detained.
Boling claims they were held by the officers for two hours.
The tribal officers were investigating if the hunt was legal. The men were not cited.
Cenci said the hunter was in an open area for licensed hunters with a special permit to hunt elk with a muzzle loader rifle.
The hunter had a valid state hunting license, he added.
Also being questioned by Boling is the right that tribal officers had to detain them in Jefferson County and to detain them for so long.
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.