Alvarez hired new Klamath Tribes Chief of Police
Klamath Tribes Chairman Don Gentry and Vernon Alvarez.
By LORI ANN EDMO
Sho-Ban News
CHILOQUIN, Oregon — The Klamath Tribes of Oregon hired Shoshone-Bannock tribal member Vernon Alvarez as their new Chief of Police.
He will assist in reestablishing the Klamath Tribes Public Safety Department their leadership has been working on since 2011 after Oregon legislators passed senate bill 412 that recognized tribal police officers as state officers. Alvarez said tribal police received expanded authority and responsibility to foster greater cooperation between Oregon law enforcement and the police forces of the nine tribal nations in Oregon.
In 2019 Klamath tribal leaders spearheaded the creation of the public safety department and hiring of the police chief in December 2021 was the last step.
Klamath Tribal Chairman Don Gentry said, “I am very excited to welcome Police Chief Alvarez to the Klamath Tribes and Klamath Basin Community,” in a press release. “I believe he not only has the extensive professional background and experience necessary to develop a successful public safety department, but the communication and management style and personal character that will serve our community well.”
The Klamath Tribes consist of three tribes – the Klamath, Modoc and Yahooskin Bands of Snake Indians and are located in southern Oregon. Congress terminated the Klamath Tribes on August 13, 1954 and they were later restored to federal recognition in 1986. Klamath tribal leaders were able to get the termination revoked after 32 years of persistent lobbying through the passage of P.L. 99-938 – the Klamath Indian Tribe Restoration Act.
Klamath Tribes new Chief of Police Vernon Alvarez.
The Klamath Tribes didn’t have a Tribal Police Department after termination. The Klamath County Sheriff’s office currently provides law enforcement services for the Klamath Tribes.
Alvarez said the police department is working on the operational infrastructure and researching the demographic and service areas of the tribal membership. The Public Safety Department will eventually have two certified tribal police officers, fish and game officers and an emergency manager. As the department is further established, the number of tribal police officers will expand accordingly.
Funding for the Public Safety program is through the U.S. Department of Justice and the COPS Office Tribal Resources Grant Program that includes hiring and equipment. The department is currently located at the Klamath Tribes Administration building. An emergency manager, administrative assistant and police officers will be hired. The Klamath Tribes will eventually have their police department complex.
Before accepting the Klamath Chief of Police, Alvarez was Chief of Corrections for the Yakama Nation for almost nine years since February 2013. “During that time, the leadership of the Yakama Nation wanted me establish the Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility there in Toppenish, Wash. and also wanted me to work with and train my second in command to eventually take over my position there, which I did.” “Leadership was great to work for as well as the department managers, directors and especially all my staff who I really enjoyed working with,” he continued.
He said when the Klamath Chief of Police position was posted last year he looked at it as an opportunity to us his public safety experience working with tribal government and help the Klamath Tribes of Oregon create a Tribal Police Department for the first time since 1954.
Alvarez said his start in law enforcement was during the summer of 1983 when he was employed at the Fort Hall Tribal Police Department reserve officer for the Shoshone-Bannock Festival. “I remained employed with the Fort Hall Police Department for 14 years and in that time I served as a Patrol Officer, Sergeant, Criminal Investigator, Lieutenant, Captain and finally, the Chief of Police for a number of years.”
He is a graduate of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Indian Police Academy, the New Mexico Public Safety Academy and Federal Law Enforcement Criminal Investigation Training Program. In addition to the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, he’s served as the Chief of Police for the Muckleshoot Tribe of Washington, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation of Washington, The Pueblo of Isleta of New Mexico, the Confederated Bands and Tribes of the Yakama Nation and now the Klamath Tribes as their Chief of Police.
Alvarez said his public safety career has been inspired by all the past and present Fort Hall Police leadership, the tribal council leadership and “to my father Stanley Alvarez, my Mother Alfreda Alvarez, my family, Shirley, my children, Vernon, Brittinie, Sonny, Alexandria, grandchildren, and all my relations.” In addition his close friends and all the tribal governments and “my employees who I have had the distinct honor to work with, and included the Tribal, Federal and State Public Safety Leadership that all added to where I am today.”
