Leadership & recognition
The Oneida Indian Nation Police Department is a pioneering law enforcement agency and the first tribal police department in the U.S. to receive CALEA Accreditation, a recognition reserved for agencies that meet the highest standard of excellence in community policing. The department has maintained this accreditation for nearly 30 years.
Strong partnerships with local, regional, state and federal law enforcement agencies have made the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department’s interagency collaboration a national model for tribal and local public safety coordination.
Chief of police
David Verne assumed the role of Chief of Police effective October 1, 2023. Verne joined the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department in 2012 as a Sergeant and CALEA Coordinator.
Throughout his career, Chief Verne has demonstrated excellent leadership capabilities and the greatest devotion to carrying out the community policing mission of the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department. He has built a career in security and law enforcement spanning nearly 40 years, including service in the United States Air Force and the New York State Police.
Partners in public safety
Oneida Indian Nation leadership has prioritized strong partnerships with federal, state and regional law enforcement since the founding of the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department. These partnerships expanded significantly with the adoption of the historic 2013 Agreement between the Nation, New York State and Oneida and Madison Counties.
The agreement allowed for the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department to be deputized by the Oneida and Madison County Sheriff's Offices. The deputization agreement between the Nation and local law enforcement has increased the availability of on-duty officers in local communities and enhanced overall public safety coordination. As a result, it has been hailed as a national model for tribal and local law enforcement cooperation and coordination.
Recognitions
The Oneida Indian Nation Police Department is a nationally recognized leader in tribal law enforcement, notably becoming the first tribal agency in the U.S. to achieve and maintain CALEA accreditation for over 25 years.
Notable achievements Since the establishment of the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department 30 years ago, it has received recognition for its professionalism, skill and dedication to the cause of cooperative law enforcement. The agency has implemented a number of programs in an effort to enhance the service to our community and has become one of the most highly decorated, professional and experienced law enforcement agencies in New York, and in all of Indian country.
In February 2021, the department was re-accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). The department is the first tribal police agency to be accredited in the United States in 1998 and only the fifth police department to receive CALEA accreditation in New York State. The Oneida Indian Nation Police Department also received an enhanced Certificate of Meritorious Accreditation for having been accredited for 25 consecutive years.
Oneida Indian Nation police officers are deputized by Oneida and Madison county Sheriff departments, which has increased public safety and on-duty officer availability in those counties, as well as on Oneida Nation lands.
Community commitment
The Oneida Indian Nation has hosted a charity golf tournament at Turning Stone Resort Casino’s award-winning Kaluhyat golf course to thank local law enforcement agencies for their collaboration with the Oneida Indian Nation Police Department and their efforts to ensure the highest level of public safety throughout Central New York. The event has been attended by partners in local, regional, state and federal law enforcement and has raised funds to benefit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
Named best-dressed department in the country by Law and Order magazine in 1994.
First tribal police agency to participate in the N-DEx program, a premiere information-sharing tool managed by the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services division.
Member of the Advisory Council of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (Northeast).
Member of the Mid-Atlantic Great Lakes Organized Crime Law Enforcement Record.
Member of the Advisory Committee to the National Task Force on Community Preparedness and Response.
Governance & resources
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