A federal judge is allowing part of a lawsuit filed by the Cayuga Nation to move forward, after the tribe alleged that Cayuga and Seneca counties have denied its police department access to local 911 systems.
U.S. District Judge Meredith Vacca ruled Tuesday that Cayuga Nation Representative Clint Halftown may continue his claim that the counties are discriminating against him because he is Native American. His request for declaratory and injunctive relief will proceed.
Other claims in the lawsuit were dismissed, including those against the state Office of Interoperable and Emergency Communications and its director, Mark Balistreri. The judge also dismissed portions brought by the Nation itself, saying it lacked standing.
In her decision, Vacca wrote that Halftown “has plausibly alleged that the county defendants discriminated against him because he is Native American,” pointing to his claim that Cayuga Nation police are the only law enforcement agency in the two counties without E911 access.
In a statement, Halftown said Cayuga citizens “are entitled to emergency services and rapid access to law enforcement when they call 911, and the Cayuga Nation Police Department stands ready to answer the call.”
