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NOVEMBER 15, 2006
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By Toby McClary
Police efforts in the Grand Iionde
community have raised concerns,
ideas and questions among communi
ty members. But here is one question
you might ask; is the Grand Ronde
community a safer place to live?
For Tribal member Lori Walker
who also serves as the President
of the Grand Ronde Coalition for a
Drug Free Community (GRCDFC),
she says yes.
"I think they are a real asset to the
community as well as the community
members," said Walker. "I feel a lot
safer knowing that they are only a
phone call away."
One concern among community
members is the interaction between
the police force and the community.
Although the police protect the com
munity and the crime rate has proven
to have gone down, some members
feel that when working in such a
small community there should be
more personal communication.
"I would like to see the police get
more personal with the members,"
said Walker. "A lot of people don't
know the officers. I would like to see
them interact more."
Walker also explained that the
Polk County Sheriffs Department
and the Yamhill County Sheriffs
Department play very active roles in
the GRCDFC.
"They attend all of our meetings,"
she said. 'They are always more than
willing to participate in anything
we do."
Polk County Sheriffs department is
the primary protection service for the
Grand Ronde area. Their service area
is from milepost 15 on Highway 18 East
to milepost 30 on Highway 18 West
and from Tyee Road in Grand Ronde
to milepost one on Highway 22.
Although some area residents voice
concerns about police involvement,
they do participate in many activities
throughout the community. They are
involved with the Community Meth
Awareness Team, Sanction Court,
Housing Security meetings, Shop
for the 1994-1995 year. In 1995, the
Tribe teamed with Polk County and
assigned two full-time deputies to the
Grand Ronde community through a
Cops Grant.
In 1997, the Spirit Mountain Com
munity Fund had been created and
began funding Grand Ronde's protec-
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As part of an effort to be more involved with the community, Polk County
Sheriff's Office had police officers on-hand for the Red Ribbon Rally at
Willamina Middle School in Grand Ronde. Police cars were opened for the
students to look at and a drug dog demonstration was also made available.
with the Sheriff, the Health and Safe
ty Fair and the Youth Project Team
meetings. They will also be involved
in community education forums, law
enforcement group meetings, Elder
lunch education forums and class
room presentations in community
schools in the near future.
In 1994, due to the discovery of
syringes at local schools, the Tribe
requested enhanced law enforcement
coverage in the Grand Ronde area.
As a result of the Tribe's request, one
deputy was assigned to Grand Ronde
tion service through Polk County.
In 1999, Grand Ronde's law enforce
ment expanded to four full-time
deputies and there are currently five
full-time deputies and a sergeant
stationed in Grand Ronde permitting
24 hour coverage.
The officers currently stationed
in Grand Ronde include Sergeant
Nathan Goldberg, Deputy Kevin Al
exander, Deputy Todd Fenk, Deputy
David Black, Deputy Bob Evarts and
Deputy Shane Zook.
Zook, who grew up in Willamina
and graduated from Willamina High
School, has been working in Grand
Ronde for about a year.
"I love working the Grand Ronde
area," said Zook. "I know a lot of the
people here. It's like being home."
Sergeant Goldberg explained that
he has been stationed in Grand
Ronde for two years and that it is a
"good policing atmosphere."
"I love it out here," said Goldberg.
"I've gotten to know a lot of people
and I've made a lot of good friends."
Tribal Security Supervisor for Pro
star Security Juan Sifuentez works
closely with Polk County Sheriffs
Department and stated that they
have a "good, positive" relationship
with each other.
"For the man-power that they have,
I feel they do a satisfactory job," said
Sifuentez. 'They respond to emergen
cy situations in a timely manner."
But Sifuentez also feels that inter
action between the police force and
the community could be stronger.
"I think a closer relationship with
community members would be ben
eficial to the community as well as
the Tribe in general," he said. "I
would like to think that the commu
nity could trust the individuals that
protect them, I feel they do."
So, is there more to policing when it
is being done in a small community?
Grand Ronde residents need to decide
that for themselves. As far as "by-the-book"
policing, these officers seem to be
doing their job.
If you need to contact the Polk
County Sheriffs Department, they
can be reached at: 503-623-9251
(Main Office in Dallas, Oregon) or
503-879-2420 (Substation in Grand
Ronde). For emergencies, please
call 911.
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Concessions:
Coffee - Soft Drinks - Water
llrjidSi -Indian Tacos Saturday - Chili Bjdqs
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Vendors wanted
contact:
Louise Medeiros at 503 979 43 12
Cherie Butler at 503 879 637 1
Val Grout at 503 879 6371
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9615 Grand Ronde Road
Grand Ronde, OR 97347
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