VAM Update : Sept. 10, 2019 Part 1
Hopi Tribal Council motioned to direct Hopi Tribe’s Safety Directory to carry forward requests presented by Village Against Meth (VAM) on behalf of concerned Hopi & Tewa community members.
VAM UPDATE : Part II VAM FULL REPORT (Feb 5, 2020)
On Monday, July 8th at 1:00pm we, Villages Against Meth grassroots movement presented to Hopi Tribal Council (HTC), our request for change which has been a consistent ask from all of our community meetings to date.
The requests we presented includes the following:
- REQUEST 1: PRIORITIZE the updating of the Hopi Code; timeline by OCTOBER 31, 2019.
Specific areas requested to be modified, including:- Transportation, manufacturing, distribution, use, paraphernalia, and sentencing of methamphetamine, opioids, fentanyl, heroin, or other dangerous drugs including pharmaceuticals.
- Ensure General Council is given the work a priority.
- REQUEST 2: Place Hopi Code Revision process a PRIORITY for all individuals and programs needed to make changes.
For example, L/O committee needs the attendance of the Court, this component piece is vital for safety. These two must meet for them to work efficiently. - REQUEST 3: Public safety officer – Include Updating the Hopi Code a part of their office’s work priorities.
* VAM acknowledges HTC for making Public Safety a priority for the community - REQUEST 4: Update the exclusion order; timeline August 31st.
We need an exclusion order that doesn’t have loopholes or gaps that prevent law enforcement and villages to enforce them. - REQUEST 5: Recognize the two Petitions & Recommendations submitted by the work of Villages Against Meth within the Hopi & Tewa Community (which began December 2018).
*See Recommendations from community (hand out) and petitions with community signatures.
Upon the close of our presentation to Hopi Tribal Council on July 8, 2019, we requested the Accountability & Responsibility of our representatives that sit on council and in the Chairman and Vice Chairman seats, the following:
a. Delegate a member of the L/O committee to meet and update community-based group VAM
b. Be amendable for changes within the drug epidemic
c. Include timelines on the progress. VAM will be back November 1, 2019 for an update, with our submitted time certain request letter.
**It is with great honor to inform you a motion was carried forward, seconded and finally approved from Hopi Tribal Council, directing the Hopi Tribe’s Public Safety Director to carry forward our requests.
