S moke S ignals
october 1, 2014
Walking On...
11
Blanket farewell
Mark Brian Steere
March 2, 1956 – Sept. 9, 2014
Tribal spouse Mark Bri-
an Steere, 58, of Willamina
passed away peacefully on
Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014, at
home with his family and
beloved dog, Bucky.
Although Mark managed
to battle and beat cancer
at a very young age, the
effects of his treatment
created lifelong health is-
sues. Mark was a geologist,
mechanic, logger, husband,
father, brother, cousin,
uncle and friend. He will
be missed by many.
Mark was born in Crescent City, Calif., on March 2, 1956, to
George and Charlotte Steere. His family moved to Oregon and he
grew up with his brothers and cousins on the Siletz River in Lin-
coln City. Mark graduated from Taft High School in 1974 and was
a proud Oregon State University alumnus.
He married his wife, Barbara (Leno), on Sept. 27, 1987. They
enjoyed nearly 27 years together. Their son, Douglas, arrived in
February 1996. Their niece, Aubrey, spent many summers and
vacations with Mark, Barbara and Douglas. Mark enjoyed fishing,
hunting, camping, taking long drives, water and snow skiing, and
Seattle Seahawks football. He was a lifelong learner, with a book
or newspaper always in hand. Most of all, Mark enjoyed spending
time with his family.
Mark is survived by his wife, Barbara; son, Douglas; parents,
George and Charlotte Steere; brothers, Mike (Ela) Steere of Lincoln
City and Jeff (Debbie) Steere of Beaverton; as well as aunts, uncles,
cousins, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death
by his brother, Doug Steere.
Barbara and Douglas send their thanks and appreciation to all
for the love and support they have received from family and friends.
At Mark’s request, no services were held. A potluck in Mark’s
honor was held Sunday, Sept. 21, at the Thomas family property
in Grand Ronde.
Dallas Mortuary Tribute Center cared for the family. To leave a
message or memory for the family, go to www.dallastribute.com.
Photo by Dean Rhodes
Early Childood Education employee Sandra Bobb received a Tribal
Pendleton blanket on Friday, Sept. 12, from Early Childhood Education
Program Manager Vikki Bishop during a farewell gathering for her.
Bobb started working for the Tribal Education Department in 2002 and
resigned to take a position with SAM Medical Products in Wilsonville,
which the Tribe has invested in. Her last day with the Tribe was Sept. 12.
“I have had the honor of working with a team of professionals who are
selflessly committed every day to making a positive impact on the lives
of the children and families in the Grand Ronde community,” Bobb said.
“They have enriched my life in the process.”
‘SB 12 is a living, breathing document’
CONFERENCE continued
from front page
ments, attorneys and others came
together on Thursday, Sept. 18, at
Spirit Mountain Casino to discuss
“principles of successful multi-ju-
risdictional law enforcement in and
out of Indian Country.”
Most states have not passed a
similar law and Oregon’s law sun-
sets in 2015. This group of police
and others involved with police
work, however, agreed that the law
has worked well.
Grand Ronde Police Chief Al La-
Chance said that SB 412 has been
good for the police in Grand Ronde
and networking has enabled the
Tribal police, working with others,
to improve law enforcement in the
area. Going forward, he said, the
Tribal police force will strengthen
existing bonds and reach out to cre-
ate new ones.
Polk County Sheriff Robert Wolfe,
who initially opposed the law,
said that good results changed his
mind.
“We’re better with it than against
it,” he said. Polk County Sheriff’s
Department has worked success-
fully with the Grand Ronde Tribal
Police Department, he said.
“Before 412,” said Brad Kneaper,
former chief of police at the Coos,
Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Tribe,
“individual relationships may not
have been the best. After 412, we
had a lot more comfortable relation-
ships with other sheriffs.”
State Sen. Floyd Prozanski, chair
of the Senate Judiciary Committee,
guided the bill through the Senate
in 2011. In his lunch-time update,
he said, “I haven’t heard anything
from anybody that this law is not
a success.” He said he intended
to make it permanent during the
2015legislative session.
“Improved communication and
partnership are the lynchpin,”
said Eriks Gabliks, director of the
Department of Public Safety Stan-
dards and Training, the state police
academy.
“It’s milestone legislation,” Gab-
liks added. “National voices think
SB 412 is a significant advance.”
“Local Tribal jurisdiction works
best,” said Tom Gede, a member of
the Federal Indian Law and Order
Commission, providing a national
context. “It’s strengthening Tribal
justice.”
Gede noted that in Arizona, cer-
tified Tribal police are eligible for
the state’s public safety retirement
plan. “It’s a great tool for retention,”
he said.
Also based in Arizona, but with
membership across many states,
is the Indian Country Intelligence
Network created to organize and
share law enforcement information,
expertise and training.
“Benign neglect,” Gede said, is
holding much back with regard to
improvements for Native justice.
Still, he said, “Oregon is doing a
great job, way ahead of the other
states.”
“Our relationships with seven
counties,” said Mitch Hicks, chief
of enforcement for the Columbia
River Inter-Tribal Fish Commis-
sion, “sped up our MOUs to getting
them in a few weeks.”
The biggest challenge in estab-
lishing formal relations between
Tribes and other law enforcement
agencies, said Tim Addleman, po-
lice chief for the Umatilla Tribal
Police Department, is that Tribes
have balked at loss of sovereignty.
It is also a challenge to give out
Tribal member information, said
Carman Smith, police chief of the
Burns Paiute Tribe.
“We can’t have bickering for a
seamless police response,” said
Shepherd. Even if one person has
made an important mistake, “the
public verdict comes down on the
whole system.”
“There is definitely value in com-
ing together to share information
and continue to build relationships
that help all of us to work better
together across jurisdictions,” said
Justin Martin, Grand Ronde Tribal
lobbyist. “This, in turn, creates
safer communities and a safer state
for all Oregonians.”
Tribal Council Chairman Reyn
Leno welcomed the group to Grand
Ronde in a conference room at the
casino and added, “It has always
been a dream of the Tribe to
have our own police force. Now
we do.”
Leno said that the Tribe honors
veterans for their service to the
country, and that many went on to
serve in the police, too.
Also in attendance from the Tribe
were Tribal Council Secretary
Toby McClary, Planning Director
Rick George and Mindy Lane, who
handles records and evidence for
the Tribe’s police.
“Changing a culture takes time,”
said Umatilla County Sheriff Terry
Rowan.
“SB 412 is a living, breathing
document,” said Shepherd. n