The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has launched an investigation into an unidentified member of the Hoopa Valley Tribal Police Department. 

According to a press release posted to the Hoopa Valley Tribal Police Department’s Facebook page on Wednesday afternoon, “the investigation is in its early stages and no determinations have been made” about the accused individual.

“We do understand the need for transparency and for the community to be made aware,” the statement continued. “At this time, we are not at liberty to release any details of the investigation and ask for patience as investigators continue forward.”

Reached for additional comment this morning, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Samantha Karges said she could not elaborate on the details of the investigation but did note, “There is no perceived threat to public safety at this time.”

“The primary interest of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is to seek justice for victims by conducting thorough and impartial investigations,” Karges wrote in an email to the Outpost this morning. “The premature release of information could jeopardize the successful adjudication of the case, in addition to putting the safety of those involved at risk. …We ask for the community’s patience as our agency works to conduct this investigation.”

The Hoopa Valley Tribal Police Department declined to comment on the ongoing investigation as well.

[Note: This article originally ran with a photo of officers from the Hoopa Valley Tribal Police. A reader informed us that several of the officers pictured are no longer with the department, thus we have removed the image at our reader’s request.]