SAN MANUEL INDIAN RESERVATION - They are just words on a stack of paper.

The growing trust, respect and shift in perception of the goings-on at American Indian reservations weren't evident in the ink.

But they were readily apparent Tuesday as the tribal chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians lauded the importance of a renewed contract with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department at a news conference.

"It shows a relationship we worked hard for to gain mutual respect from both sides," said James Ramos, who was elected tribal chairman in March. "It shows a workability, it shows trust, it shows a model for working with tribal communities."

That model stands in stark contrast to the strained relationship between the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians.

Animosity skyrocketed between them in May when deputies killed three Soboba members during a shootout. The tribal chairman declared war and sheriff's officials lambasted the drugs, guns and violent crime they said was on the Soboba reservation.

They have since hammered out an agreement and the relationship is looking up.

At the San Manuel reservation, officials said the situation can only improve.

For $1.2 million, the Sheriff's Department will provide 24/7 patrols with a sergeant and six deputies beefing up visibility on the 832-acre reservation.

A service specialist and clerk are also part of the deal, along with a prosecutor who deals only with crimes on the reservation.

There were 672 calls for service to the reservation last year, according to sheriff's records. Only two were emergencies.

Most of the calls are for people trespassing at the casino, said a deputy who patrols the area.

Working together to understand different cultures has been a crucial piece of making the arrangement work between deputies and tribal members.

Deputies take courses in tribal law and familiarize themselves with Public Law 280, which gives California authorities the right to enforce local and state laws on tribal land.

Ramos gives cultural presentations, which includes singing traditional songs, at sheriff's substations.

"We are people first," said county Supervisor Josie Gonzalez. "Our issues, the pains, the impacts ... are exactly the same. We truly are one."

Officials said the contract, which has been in place for three years, is unique because it is the only one in the state to offer round-the-clock patrol.

The tribe has its own security force but decided to bring in additional law enforcement in accordance with Public Law 280.

"The tribe does not have to do that," said Sheriff Gary Penrod. "It shows true commitment from the tribe to public safety for the people who come in and out of here."

There have been problems on the reservation in the past.

The first year the contract was signed, Drug Enforcement Administration officials raided several houses on the reservation as part of a countywide crackdown on methamphetamine trafficking.

Two Mexican Mafia members and two others were arrested, authorities said.

"There's been misconceptions of reservations being safe havens for criminals," Ramos said. "Reservations are not a hideout for criminal activity, and it never has been."