Albemarle Tradewinds August 2015 Web Final

Frisco Native American Museum
One of the “in-progress” exhibits at the Frisco Native American Museum & Natural History Center
is the display of Native American Police Tribal Patches. While the collection numbers over fifty patches, the
exhibit is considered a work in progress because the museum is always seeking new items for the display.
Although tribal police historically held a variety of titles, the best known may be the lighthorsemen.
In the late 1700’s, some tribes had no organized law enforcement structure and were subject to police hired by
United States Indian agents. However, other tribes such as the Cherokee, had well-developed systems of
tribal laws and tribal courts. Their system included regulatory companies of mounted horsemen organized
to deal primarily with horse and property theft. Over time, the companies gradually became known as the
“Lighthorsemen,” and their authority was expanded to include more serious crimes. The name was also
adopted by the Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. The Lighthorsemen were generally organized into
companies and responsible for different districts. In most cases, individuals were required to provide their
own horse and weapon. When the tribes lost their native lands in the late 19th century, a number of tribes
continued to use the Lighthorsemen name for elements of their police forces.
In the twenty-first century, the Bureau of Indian Affairs provides law enforcement assistance for tribes
without a reservation or police department; however, generally police are hired and supervised by a tribal
council and given responsibility for protecting residents and visitors to the reservation. As expected, their
patches range widely in design and symbols, and the museum always welcomes new donations.
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday and is located on Hatteras island in Frisco. For more
information, visit the web site at www.nativeamericanmuseum.org or call 252-995-4440.
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