Deadline nears for tribes to track sex offenders

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) – Montana's Native American tribes have until July 26 to start their own sex offender tracking and registration systems.

That's the federal deadlines to have the programs in place. The U.S. Marshals Service has been helping the reservations set up the programs since 2007.

The Fort Peck and Northern Cheyenne reservations have already set up their programs. The Rocky Boy and Fort Belknap reservations have told marshals they'll have theirs ready for the deadline.

The Crow Reservation near Billings is in the process of setting its system and the Blackfeet have said they will hand authority over to the Glacier County Sheriff's Office.

Chief Deputy Marshal Rod Ostermiller tells the Billings Gazette that the Fort Peck program illustrates how tribal authorities can work closely with county, state and federal agencies.

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Information from: Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com