Smoke Signals 13
DECEMBER 1,2012
LaChance beings 33 years off experience tto job
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Photo by Michelle Alaimo
Alvin LaChance Jr. takes an oath as he's sworn in as chief of the Grand Ronde
Tribal Police Department during a ceremony in Tribal Council Chambers
on Friday, Nov. 1 6. Next to him is Jake McKnlght, who was sworn in as a
sergeant. They were both sworn in by Tribal Court Chief Judge Suzanne
Ojibway Townsend.
POLICE continued
from front page
to Grand Ronde," said Tribal Coun
cil member Steve Bobb Sr. "This
is a huge step, and an honor and
a privilege to have our own law
enforcement."
After being sworn in, LaChance
said that it was important to have
a ceremony and that his door will
always be open, even during nights
and weekends because he now lives
in Tribal housing. His office is lo
cated in the police substation next
to Spirit Mountain Casino.
"I look forward to serving the
community," LaChance said.
McKnight said the swearing-in
ceremony was another stop on a
"long journey" toward becoming a
police officer.
During the Nov. 7 Tribal Council
meeting, LaChance briefed the
Tribal membership on his 33 years
of experience in law enforcement,
all of it with the city of Redmond.
He started as a reserve in 1978.
After 2.5 years in that position, he
said he discovered that he loved law
enforcement and Redmond, so he
became the city's first police techni
cian, enforcing city ordinances.
He then became a patrol officer
and was subsequently promoted
to corporal and sergeant. He was a
supervisor for more than 22 years
with the Redmond Police Depart
ment, ending his career as a lieu
tenant in charge of investigations.
"I could have made captain, but,
unfortunately, my lovely bride also
worked for the city of Redmond, and
she was the Community Service
officer's supervisor. So, it would
have a little bit of a conflict of inter
est to be her supervisor," he said.
"And I was perfectly happy staying
as a lieutenant."
LaChance said he met his wife
very early in his career at the Red
mond Police Department.
LaChance said he retired 17
months ago from the Redmond Police
Department and was happy in re
tirement until the position of Grand
Ronde police chief found him.
He said a colleague he teaches
with at the state police academy
knew the police chief that the Tribe
had hired as a consultant in its
search for a police chief. During
lunch, the consultant expressed
frustration at not being able to find
a qualified and experienced Tribal
member candidate for the police
chiefs job when LaChance's col
league said he knew someone who
met the criteria.
"I was truly enjoying my retire
ment," he said. "We were traveling. I
think I was home five weeks of those
17 months. But I talked to my wife
and she said if it was meant to be,
go for it. If it was something that I
wanted to do, she would support it."
LaChance said he took the job to
help the Tribe start its new police
department and make the process
a positive experience.
"Not only for the Tribal members
and the community," he said, "but
most importantly for the youth of
the Tribe. One of my goals is to
make it attractive to them to be
come police officers. That's where
I'm coming from and that's why I
am here."
In Redmond, LaChance said he
was involved in several special
projects aimed at area youth that
helped to build positive bonds be
tween them and police officers.
The swearing-in ceremony was
the culmination of several years of
effort by the Tribe to acquire fund
ing for the police department and
to get a law passed by the Oregon
Legislature putting Tribal police
officers on equal footing with other
city, county and state law enforce
ment personnel.
In 2010, the Tribe received two
grants from the U.S. Department of
Justice, including a $171,923 COPS
Tribal Resources Grant for police
equipment and training.
In early 2011, McKnight, who
was the Tribe's Forest Patrol of
ficer, was reclassified as a Tribal
police officer so he could attend the
state's 16-week public safety train
ing course held at the Department
of Public Safety Standards and
Training Academy in Salem. He
graduated in July of that year.
Also in July 201 1, Gov. John Kit
zhaber signed a bill that recognizes
Tribal police officers as police offi
cers under state law in Oregon.
In October 2011, the Tribe re
ceived a three-year, $672,525 De
partment of Justice grant to add
two more officers to the Tribal
police force in 2012.
In October of this year, the Tribe
received a $378,103 Department
of Justice grant to pay for hiring,
training and equipment for one
additional officer in 2013.
Eventually, those three police
officers will join McKnight and
LaChance on the five-person Tribal
police force.
LaChance said he is currently
writing the department's policies
and procedures. Once those are com
pleted and approved, he will seek
to make two lateral hires police
officers who are already certified
and can hit the street running. The
third hire, he said, hopefully will be
a Tribal member who will need to
attend the academy for training.
LaChance added that he plans
to be the Tribe's police chief until
he can "find someone to replace
me." Within five years, he said,
he hopes McKnight will gain the
experience necessary to take over
the position.
"I would like to have the chief
continue to be a Tribal member,"
LaChance said.
LaChance is descended from his
great-grandmother Maude Hudson
and his grandfather Ralph La
Chance on his father's side.
"It's been a long time, but now
this Tribe finally has a chief," Tom
said at the conclusion of the swearing-in
ceremony. D
INTERNALEXTERNAL
Prevention Caseworker
Social Services
Grade: 10
Closing date: Dec. 14
Sr. Investment Analyst
Economic Development
Grade: 16
Open until filled
General Manager
General Manager
Grade: 24
Open until filled
EXTERNAL OPENINGS
H Caregiver (on-call)
Adult Foster Care
Grade: 5
Open until filled
Drug-Free
Workplace Policy
Effective January 1, 2004,
all employees are subject to
random drug andor alcohol
testing.
BAH pre-employment offers.
OWhen there is reasonable
suspicion.
Post accident.
For a detailed job description,
please contact the Tribe's job line at
503-879-2257 or 1 -877 TRIBEGR.
Internal applicants are
1. Current Regular Employee,
past their six-month Introduc
tory period, receiving at least a
"meets expectations'" on most
recent performance evaluation
and not under disciplinary ac
tion or performance improve
ment within the previous six
months,
2. Grand Ronde Tribal members
3. Spouse of a Grand Ronde
Tribal member or
4. Parent or legal guardian of
Grand Ronde Tribal member
children
Internal recruitment
For those individuals meeting
minimum qualifications an
interview will be given in the
following ranking order:
1. Grand Ronde Tribal members
a) Qualified Grand Ronde Tribal
members who show they
meet the minimum qualifica
tions of the position during
the course of the interview
process will be given first con
sideration for hire and the
recruitment process will end
2. Tribal member spouses, par
ents andor legal guardians of
Grand Ronde Tribal member
children
3. Current regular employees
SALES DIRECTOR JOB OPENING
Shasta Administrative Services, a mid-sized third party adminis
trator located in Redmond, Oreg. is searching for a seasoned veteran
to fill the role of Director of Sales.
T1 1111 1
itequires a Dacneiors degree ana .
five years of experience in sales (
or a related area; three years of Jit
or training role, preferably with S H A S T A
exposure to insurance, medical
provider or employee benefits in- Administrative Services'
dustries. Must have a current
Life and Health agentinsurance
producer license. Experience with
self-insured, Tribal, Collective BargainingTaft-Hartley andor Public
Entity plans preferred.
To apply, e-mail your resume, cover letter and salary expectation
to addiefshastatpa.com by Dec. 7. B