As a federally recognized Tribe, the Gun Lake Tribe operates its own Government and Tribal justice departments based on the premise of Tribal sovereignty. Gun Lake Tribal Justice consists of the Tribal Court, including the Tribal Prosecutor, and Public Safety (or Gun Lake Tribal Police).

Gun Lake Tribal Court

The Gun Lake Tribal Court’s mission is to provide a justice system based on integrity, fairness and tradition while preserving Tribal Sovereignty.

The judicial power of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians (Gun Lake Tribe) is vested in the Gun Lake Tribal Judiciary which is composed of the Gun Lake Tribal Court and the Gun Lake Supreme Court. The judicial power of the Gun Lake Tribal Judiciary extends to all cases arising under the Gun Lake Tribe’s Constitution, ordinances, regulations or judicial decisions of the Gun Lake Tribe.

Gun Lake Tribal Prosecutor

The Tribal Prosecutor is responsible for working with the Public Safety Department to provide current best practices in law enforcement. This includes review of recent case law and court cases and presenting Public Safety cases to the Tribal Court. In representing Gun Lake Tribe interests in these cases the Tribal Prosecutor meets with those charged in a pre-trial conference seeking to resolve cases in advance of a trial. The Tribal Prosecutor is also responsible for working with the Tribal Court in developing a responsive, open, fair and expeditious Tribal Criminal Justice System.

Gun Lake Tribe Public Safety

The Gun Lake Tribal Public Safety Department has been granted authority to enforce those laws and regulations as set forth by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of the Pottawatomi Indians (Gun Lake Tribe) and the United States of America. The goal of the department is to protect human life, maintain peace and to protect the property and resources of the Tribe, its members, families and guests. It is Public Safety’s intent that they will continue working together, with genuine concern for one another, as we move toward achieving excellence in the delivery of service to meet the challenges of the future.