Dear Supporters:
On March 2nd Director Wray arrived in the tribal capital in
Window Rock, Ariz., on Friday, March 2 and spoke with Navajo Nation President
Russell Begaye and other tribal and federal law enforcement officials, including
FBI agents from New Mexico. FBI spokesman Frank Fisher says Wray's visit to the
Navajo Nation was the first by a director.
FBI Director Christopher Wray met with tribal officials of the largest
Indian reservation in the U.S. this week, becoming the first head of the
federal law enforcement agency to visit the Navajo Nation.
His visit to the Navajo Nation was the first by a director and was
intended
to allow Wray to introduce himself to tribal leaders during a visit to
FBI
field offices, FBI spokesman Frank Fisher said.
Wray visited the tribal capital in Window Rock, Arizona, on Friday and
spoke with Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye and other tribal and
federal law enforcement officials, including FBI agents stationed in New
Mexico, the Gallup Independent reported.
The FBI investigates major crimes on tribal reservations and Wray said
his
visit, which included a stop at a crime scene, helped give him a look at
law enforcement "on the front lines."
After the meeting, Wray said he was "very impressed by the
partnership"
between Navajo and FBI officials.
The Navajo Nation reservation covers 27,000 square miles in northeastern
Arizona, northwestern New Mexico and southeastern Utah, making it larger than
West Virginia.
The visit to where a homicide occurred was intended to show Wray
"the
remoteness of the Navajo Nation," said Nation Police Chief Phillip
Francisco.
Large areas of the reservation have little or no cell phone coverage and
have roads that are impassable in bad weather.
President Begaye said he was honored to have Wray in his office and glad
to
hear him acknowledge the tribe's sovereignty. He asked Wray for his
agency's support and possible training to handle cybercrime, human and
drug
trafficking, meth labs, and shooting threats against schools.
“In the Spirit of Coler and Williams”
Ed Woods
Excerpted Associated Press article: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/fbi-director-makes-historic-visit-navajo-nation-53487660
