Tulalip tribal members fight against drug-trafficking
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Photo by Roy Pablo
Julian Fryberg, Killian Page and Pete Pablo get ready for the first anti-trafficking roadside gathering in January on the Tulalip Reservation.
Friday, February 3, 2012 | 12:01 am
Roy Pablo was fed up with drug dealers.
He posted as much on his Facebook page.
He didn't know it'd start a movement.
Pablo, 34, of Tulalip, now is helping organizing a grassroots campaign against drug-trafficking on the reservation, he said.
People are connecting via social media websites, community meetings and roadside gatherings.
As of this week, the Facebook group, “Tulalip Tribal Members Fight against Drugs,” had more than 400 members.
“A lot of people were talking about the deaths and the overdoses going on in our community,” Pablo said. “People were getting sick of it, but no one ever said anything.”
Several times, people in the group have stood along reservation roads with signs railing against drug dealers, Pablo said.
The idea is “letting them know that we're not taking this anymore, we're standing up for our community, and we're going to fight for it too,” he said. “We can't let them get away with it anymore.”
Police Chief Jay Goss has attended at least one of the meetings, he said. Tulalip police are working with the group to answer any questions the community might have.
Fighting drug-trafficking is one of the police department's goals, Goss said. Tulalip Police made about 350 drug arrests in 2011 alone.
Anyone interested in working with the group should join the Facebook group for information about upcoming meetings and events, Pablo said.
The next roadside gathering is scheduled for noon on Feb. 5 at the Arby's parking lot.
He posted as much on his Facebook page.
He didn't know it'd start a movement.
Pablo, 34, of Tulalip, now is helping organizing a grassroots campaign against drug-trafficking on the reservation, he said.
People are connecting via social media websites, community meetings and roadside gatherings.
As of this week, the Facebook group, “Tulalip Tribal Members Fight against Drugs,” had more than 400 members.
“A lot of people were talking about the deaths and the overdoses going on in our community,” Pablo said. “People were getting sick of it, but no one ever said anything.”
Several times, people in the group have stood along reservation roads with signs railing against drug dealers, Pablo said.
The idea is “letting them know that we're not taking this anymore, we're standing up for our community, and we're going to fight for it too,” he said. “We can't let them get away with it anymore.”
Police Chief Jay Goss has attended at least one of the meetings, he said. Tulalip police are working with the group to answer any questions the community might have.
Fighting drug-trafficking is one of the police department's goals, Goss said. Tulalip Police made about 350 drug arrests in 2011 alone.
Anyone interested in working with the group should join the Facebook group for information about upcoming meetings and events, Pablo said.
The next roadside gathering is scheduled for noon on Feb. 5 at the Arby's parking lot.
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