North Dakota BIA Officers Recognized

U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke recognized Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) - Turtle Mountain Agency Law Enforcement Officers Stacey Larocque and Michael Slater and BIA-Standing Rock Agency Law Enforcement Officers Wayland Bad Hand and Gary Sandland with the Secretary’s Commendation Award for their quick and heroic actions to save the lives of individuals who overdosed on deadly, synthetic opioid drugs.

Officer Slater arrived at the home on the Turtle Mountain Reservation in New Town and found a man unconscious and with no pulse. The family at the scene alerted Officer Slater about the suspected overdose. Officer Slater administered CPR until Officer Larocque arrived to administer Naloxone, commonly referred to as Narcan. The man gained consciousness after three doses and within minutes was responsive to the first responders.

The Secretary recognized Sergeant Larocque and Officer Slater during a roundtable meeting with North Dakota’s five Tribes. The conversation focused on issues each tribe faces with the opioid crisis and included options and opportunities to help the communities.
Officer Bad Hand responded to a reported assault of a female on the Standing Rock Reservation. Upon arriving at a residence , Officer Bad Hand found the unresponsive woman exhibiting signs of an opioid overdose. Officer Gary Sandland arrived at the scene and retrieved the Narcan, a dose in the form of a nasal spray, from the Officer Bad Hand’s patrol car. The woman regained consciousness after the medication was administered by Officer Bad Hand. Officer Sandland continued to assist by holding the IV bag of Narcan that the responding Standing Rock EMS had inserted in the distressed woman’s arm. 
The Secretary’s recognition of Officers Larocque, Slater, Bad Hand, and Sandland was followed by a roundtable meeting with the Tribes from North Dakota – Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, Spirit Lake, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, The Three Affiliated Tribes, and Turtle Mountain of Chippewa. The conversation focused on issues each Tribe faces with the opioid crisis and included options and opportunities to help the communities.