Alvin LaChance Jr. sworn in as Tribal police chief

During what Tribal Council Vice Chair Jack Giffen Jr. called "a monumental day for Tribal self-governance," Alvin LaChance Jr. was sworn in as chief of the Grand Ronde Tribal Police Department on Friday, Nov. 16.

LaChance, 60, is a longtime veteran of the Redmond Police Department and he joins Jake McKnight, who also was sworn in on Friday as a sergeant, as the first two official members of the Tribal police force.

"We have two outstanding Tribal members to start this new program," Giffen said.

"This is a historic day for this Tribe," said Tribal Council member Kathleen Tom, "to have its own police officers on its own land. And to have two longtime Tribal families to represent us is such an honor. It's just another blessing for this Tribe."

LaChance and McKnight were sworn in by Tribal Court Chief Judge Suzanne Ojibway Townsend. They both received badges from their respective wives, Susan LaChance and Tamara McKnight.

Sitting in the audience were three of LaChance's former colleagues from the Redmond Police Department - Bob Duff, Brad McMurrian and Dex Dixson.

"I remember a time when law enforcement did not want to come to Grand Ronde," said Tribal Council 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 located 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 technician, 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 Department, ending his career as a lieutenant 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 interest 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 Redmond Police Department.

LaChance said he retired 17 months ago from the Redmond Police Department and was happy in retirement 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 chief's job when LaChance's colleague said he knew someone who met the criteria.

"I was truly enjoying my retirement," 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 become 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 between them and police officers.

The swearing-in ceremony was the culmination of several years of effort by the Tribe to acquire funding 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 enforcement 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 officer, was reclassified as a Tribal police officer so he could attend the state's 16-week public safety training course held at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training Academy in Salem. He graduated in July of that year.

Also in July 2011, Gov. John Kitzhaber signed a bill that recognizes Tribal police officers as police officers under state law in Oregon.

In October 2011, the Tribe received a three-year, $672,525 Department 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 completed 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 LaChance 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.