Smoke Shop Confrontation
Superintendent of State Police defending officers handling of the Smoke Shop Confrontation
(Providence-AP) -- The superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police is defending the actions of his officers during a raid at the Narragansett Smoke Shop.
Colonel Steven Pare says the officers used restraint in making the arrests and they didn't purposefully knock down any women and children.
Governor Carcieri is asking Pare for a report on the incident in ten days.
Tuesday afternoon, the governor said he told Pare to act with restraint, but stop if the officers encountered resistance.
State police raided the Narragansett Indian tribe's tax-free smoke store on Monday, in an effort to stop what the state called the illegal sale of tobacco products.
State and Narragansett officials will be in court today over the issue.
State officials say a 1978 agreement with the tribe makes the Narragansett subject to state laws.
But an attorney for the Narragansetts says the statute gives the state authority over the settlement lands, not the tribe.
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