CFN – The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne (MCA), Akwesasne Mohawk Police Services (AMPS) and the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Commission have issued the following public statement today regarding the vehicle accident that occurred on Oct. 26, 2011 on North Road in Hogansburg, New York, which claimed the lives of two young Akwesasne residents.
The MCA, the Police Commission and AMPS continue to place the public’s safety at the highest level and are taking the incident very seriously. In doing so, public comments will be limited until the accident’s investigation is completed by the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police (SRMTP). The AMPS is cooperating fully with the SRMTP as well as with the Franklin County District Attorney’s office. As a public service agency, AMPS has a responsibility to be transparent and it will continue cooperating with the investigation.
AMPS confirms that on Oct. 26, 2011 an officer on patrol in the village of Kana:takon attempted to stop a vehicle which failed to comply and fled the area. The officer followed the standard practice of contacting a SRMTP dispatcher to alert them of the situation and that the vehicle had entered their jurisdiction.
“The Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service was not behind the vehicle when the accident occurred,” said AMPS Chief of Police Jerry Swamp. “As previous reports indicate, a witness observed the accident after being passed by the vehicle in question and can confirm the AMPS were not on North Road when the accident occurred.”
If necessary, AMPS will release additional information following the outcome of the tribe’s investigation.
AMPS, the MCA and the Police Commission continues to express their deepest sympathies to the families in mourning.
