S moke S ignals
JANUARY 15, 2016
7
Security being brought in-house
POLICE continued
from front page
sist of McKnight as chief, Officer
Tim Hernandez has been promot-
ed to sergeant and there are five
officers – Patrick McConnell, Ron
Wellborn, Rod McAllister, Grand
Ronde Tribal member Tyler Brown
and new officer Tokata Tehama,
who starts on Monday, Jan. 18. Te-
hama is a Klamath Tribal member
who lives in the area.
“I had a great group of people to
work with,” said LaChance.
McKnight, 38, said having the
opportunity to work alongside
LaChance for the last two months
was invaluable.
“That was a blessing,” said McK-
night. “For me, I think it is import-
ant for people to know that nothing
is going to change. It’s going to
be just like chief (LaChance) was
here. We’re going to carry on like
before. No one will even notice a
difference.”
General Manager Dave Fuller-
ton said that Tribal leadership is
thankful to have had someone of
LaChance’s caliber and expertise
as chief to get the new police de-
partment off the ground and up to
speed.
“He (LaChance) did what we
asked him to do,” said Fullerton.
“He came in and in three years
helped us set up, helped us build
relationships, helped us get estab-
lished and get our law enforcement
moving forward. That’s a big task
to take on and he did that. It’s that
step toward complete self-determi-
nation. Now we’re looking to Jake
to carry that torch and continue to
get us established in the commu-
nity.”
Fullerton said McKnight will be
setting goals and working on focus
areas, such as
proper com-
munity polic-
ing, to really
have an effect
on and a pres-
ence in the
community.
“He’s (McK-
Juan Sifuentez
night) going
to be spending
his days doing the work, doing the
important stuff. He has the pas-
sion and the drive to do it,” said
Fullerton. “I think they do a very
good job right now. I think it will
be a good transition. We’re looking
forward to it.”
Tribal Council Chairman Reyn
Leno said everything is coming
together in the police department.
“Members of council felt very
strongly that having law enforce-
ment is a big part of sovereignty,”
said Leno. “We were very fortunate
to have someone like the chief
(LaChance) who had a lot of experi-
ence and who came in and was very
willing to work to get things set up.
“When you look at someone like
Jake, he’s local, he grew up here
and it’s great to see our people get
opportunities like this and take
advantage of them. They (Tribal
police officers) do hard work and
he did a lot of hard work to earn it.”
Leno said McKnight has earned
the respect of the community by
the way he carries himself and how
he has treated people over the last
three years.
“I think it was a really positive
thing all the way around,” said
Leno.
McKnight said the Tribal com-
munity has accepted him as a law
enforcement officer and that being
able to talk to people on their level
has been a big help.
Do you want to join the Child Care Profession?
The Grand Ronde Tribe Children & Family Services
Program has recognized a need for
Child Care in the community
We are hosting a week of trainings to help individuals move
towards licensing as a Registered Family Provider
Trainings are FREE for first 10 registrations!
Date
Training
Time
Wednesday
Overview
5:30pm-8:30pm
January 27th, 2016
Dinner provided
Free
Saturday,
Recognizing & Reporting 10am-12pm
Child Abuse & Neglect
$10
January 30th, 2016
Lunch provided
Saturday,
CPR & First Aid
January 30th, 2016
1pm-5pm
$35
Location:
Community Service Center
9615 Grand Ronde Rd
Child Care Resource & Referral
Call to sign up
503-585-2491 or 800-289-5533
“People like that they are able to
just come and talk to me because
that is a big thing. That’s import-
ant,” said McKnight. “I just let
people know I’m doing my job and
people get that. You don’t let your
ego get to you just because you are
carrying a badge.”
Leno said that McKnight has
the ability to talk to community
members.
“I think one of the most important
things for a police officer is their
communication with the commu-
nity,” said Leno. “If you have that
communication it will help you
become successful and keep you
successful.”
Leno said the Tribal police de-
partment has had a positive effect
on the community.
“It’s made an impact here in our
community with the decline of drug
and criminal activity,” said Leno.
“I think that is really the tell-tale
report card on it. In our case, it
really has made a difference. They
(Grand Ronde Tribal police officers)
want to help people as opposed to
saying, ‘Here is the law and we’re
going to dictate it to you.’ They feel
they have input to the community
and the community trusts them.”
LaChance said he feels a sense
of pride when he looks back on his
three years running the depart-
ment.
“What I want to share with every-
body in the community is this depart-
ment is more about educating people
than busting people,” said LaChance.
“We are here for the community
and I think people are starting to
understand that in the years that
I have been here. It’s about having
credibility and having the respect of
the people you are serving.”
LaChance said he will always be
a part of the Tribal community now.
“I’m just a phone call away,” he
said.
Security being
brought in-house
Current Advanced Security Su-
pervisor Juan Sifuentez has been
offered and accepted the new posi-
tion of Tribal Security Department
manager. The new department
will be up and running in the next
few weeks and Sifuentez said he
is excited about building the new
program.
“We are transitioning to a Tribal
Security Department,” said Ful-
lerton. “We have offered Juan the
job and he will start in two weeks.
Then we are going to start training
Tribal member security guards. It’s
that movement in the direction of
us directing that work instead of
someone else.”
Sifuentez, who has 28 years of ex-
perience working security, has been
working for the Tribe for 18 years.
“I’m very excited,” said Sifuentez.
“I’m glad to be given this opportu-
nity. I’ve always been loyal and I
think that everybody knows that.
I’m very committed to the Tribe. I
am a part of this community and I
believe the people trust me.”
Leno said he is confident in Si-
fuentez and his ability to build the
program.
“Juan has been here so long that
he has become part of the commu-
nity,” said Leno. “I think people
respond to him. I think they respect
him and they communicate with
him.”
Leno said the job ahead is much
like what the Tribe asked LaChance
to accomplish when he was lured
out of retirement to become the first
police chief.
“I think having him here to get us
kicked off and in the right direction
kind of falls in line with our chief
when he was here to kick off our
police force,” said Leno. “I believe
it’s a win-win for everybody.”
Leno said the biggest difference
community members will notice
with the new Security Department
will be the hiring of more local peo-
ple as guards.
“When local people are aware of
the issues, they have a lot better
ability to deal with the issues,”
said Leno.
Sifuentez said the way he ap-
proaches his job will not change.
“I’m here to help,” said Sifuentez.
“I want to help everybody. For me,
that’s what it’s all about.
Sifuentez said after being in the
community for so long, he sees the
Tribe and its people as his family.
“That’s the way I look at it,” said
Sifuentez. “I don’t see it as coming
to work; I see it as coming to visit
my family. I’m just elated I’m get-
ting this opportunity. I can’t wait
to take it on and make the Security
Department top-notch.”
LaChance said the new Security
Department is a big piece of keep-
ing the community safe and that Si-
fuentez is the correct fit for the job.
“His (Sifuentez) historical knowl-
edge of the Tribe is invaluable,”
said LaChance. “It’s going to be
great.” n
Groups form Helping Hands
The Clothes Closet, iskam mfkhmfk haws and A Cause For Paws have
started an ad hoc group called Grand Ronde Helping Hands and are in-
viting community members to join the effort of supporting local families.
“The goal is to bring those of us together who are supporting families
in Grand Ronde to share the services and resources we provide and
create a resource guide we can all use,” said Food Bank Coordinator
Francene Ambrose.
“If you provide any type of services to families in our community,
please consider attending,” Ambrose said. “We are looking for meal site
calendars, food box sites, clothes closets, showers and laundry services.
We are asking churches, church groups, departments and support groups
to share with us.”
If you are interested in joining the effort, contact Ambrose at 503-879-
3663 or at fambrose@marionpolkfoodshare.org. n