A freelance reporter told the Sawyer County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council on March 1 that his analysis of monthly jail reports shows Native Americans are overrepresented in the county jail.

The council agreed to place a memorandum of understanding with the Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) Band on next month's agenda for renewal and instructed chairs to return proposals for an executive committee and a data committee at the next meeting.

Sid Schwartz, a freelance reporter for the Sawyer County Record, said he collected six months of monthly jail reports and used 2020 U.S. Census figures to calculate incarceration rates. "Native Americans are incarcerated at a rate of 13.1 per thousand population, which is 10.4 times higher than the rate for whites," Schwartz told the council, and said his six-month average showed Native American inmates averaged 37.8 persons or about 66% of the jail population. He said he would seek comment from LCO leadership and provided printed copies of his data to council members.

Council members said the CJCC's joint MOU with LCO and the regular jail reports are the proper venue for discussing such data. A county public safety representative said the MOU on the agenda would be refiled next month "exactly as it is" so both parties can review and take action. The MOU renewal was not voted at the meeting; members agreed to return it for potential action in April.

During discussion, members emphasized collaboration and careful public messaging. "I like our team approach. I want to keep our team approach," one council member said, urging that sensitive data not be presented in a way that could be divisive.

The council also discussed national standards for criminal justice coordinating councils learned at a NACO peer exchange. Participants recommended bylaw changes to incorporate those standards, consideration of a paid coordinator (funding and job description to be developed), and more community outreach.

As a formal action, a member moved and the council approved a motion directing the CJCC chairs to return to the March meeting with a proposal for an executive committee and a data committee (the motion carried; members present responded "aye"). The motion specified the return report should include number of members and the roles the committees would perform.

The CJCC also approved an opioid-settlement budget for CJCC programming and recovery services. The motion to approve the opioid settlement budget was made, seconded, and carried. The approved budget covers recovery activities and other program support; line-item details were discussed in the meeting packet and were not read into the record in full.

Members asked that JusticePoint and other partners be prepared to discuss data and program responses when the MOU renewal is taken up. Council chairs said public safety (county) would be the body to act formally on the MOU and forward any CJCC recommendations to the county board.

The council did not adopt any permanent changes to the MOU at the March meeting and did not set a final renewal date; members agreed to revisit the document and any suggested edits next month.