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Drug Court
The key to the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Tribal Drug Court is integrating alcohol and other drug treatment services with justice system case-processing. The drug court serves both Native and non-Native participants.
The CPN Tribal Drug Court is multi-jurisdictional. It works hand-in-hand with the Pottawatomie County Drug Court to see that all participants successfully complete their designated programs.
Along with being multi-jurisdictional, the Court has obtained Community Sentencing contracts with Pottawatomie and Payne counties, allowing participants who do not reside within our jurisdiction to participate in the CPN Tribal Drug Court.
The Court is designed to take participants through four phases: Coyote, Bear, Deer, Eagle. This helps participants identify their progress toward rehabilitation. With the completion of each phase, the participant comes closer to meeting the goals of his plan.
The Citizen Potawatomi Nation Substance Abuse Department provides drug and alcohol counseling for the Native American participants. A description of each phase follows:
Phase I - Coyote. In this phase, the Coyote is symbolic of a trickster. The key to this phase is for the participant to recognize his defects. In this phase, the participant must learn that he is powerless, that his life is unmanageable, and that he is in denial about his condition.
Phase II - Bear. In this phase, the Bear symbolizes being resistant to all that surrounds the participant. The key to this phase is to recognize the conflict of power within and turn it over to “The Creator” or “Higher Power.”
Phase III - Deer. In this phase, the Deer is symbolic, in some cultures, of medicine people. The key to this phase is to learn to form fellowships, to become gentle, swift, alert, and aware of one's surroundings. In this phase, participants learn to be conscious of the world in which they live.
Phase IV – Eagle. In this phase, the Eagle is symbolic of wisdom, honor and respect. The key to this phase is to learn to earn back self-dignity, honor, and respect.
In the first year of operation, there were approximately forty-six participants. Currently, the CPN Drug Court has four active participants. The Pottawatomie County Drug Court has 17 Native American participants and 26 non-Native participants.
The Court is currently seeking the status of Mentor Court. This will allow other drug courts from across the United States to come to the CPN Court to learn how all of the key components come together.
The drug court team recently attended a training in San Diego, California, as well as one in Washington D.C. It recently hosted a seminar for tribal drug court personnel from across the USA.
The Drug Court will continue to grow and is looking toward the areas of a Juvenile Drug Court or a Family Drug Court.
 For more information about the Court, please contact Vicki Lofton at 405-273-3216.
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