WHITERIVER, AZ (AZFamily) — A tribal officer has been arrested and accused of stealing nearly $70 worth of items from a Show Low Walmart.

However, this isn’t the only case of an officer getting in trouble with the law, and now questions are mounting over the community’s trust.

“Tribal nation, you’re talking about a pretty close-knit community,” said former Police Chief Rey Nejo, who led the Gila River Indian Community Police Department .

Detective Sergeant Melissa Ward, 37, is the latest White Mountain Apache police officer to be on the other side of the law. Monday, she was arrested after being accused of shoplifting.

“The respect that you have from the community is granted to you by how you conduct yourselves in the community,” Nejo said.

He explained that allegations can create

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