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Tribal Police Chief
Position: Tribal Police Chief
Department: Tribal Police
Supervised by: Chief Operations Officer and/or Designee
Pay Grade: E-7 $90,511 – $126, 886
FLSA: Exempt; Salaried / Regular; Full-Time
Position Summary: Under the direction of the Chief Operations Officer and/or Designee, the Tribal Police Chief serves as the executive leader of the Tribal Police Department and is responsible for the overall administration, supervision, and operational effectiveness of the department. The Police Chief ensures enforcement of applicable Tribal, Federal, and State laws, ordinances, and regulations; develops and implements departmental policies and procedures; maintains compliance with all legal and certification requirements; and promotes public safety while upholding Tribal sovereignty and community trust.
In this small rural community, the position functions as a working Chief. In addition to administrative and leadership responsibilities, the Police Chief actively participates in patrol, emergency response, investigations, and other direct law enforcement activities as necessary. The Chief maintains required certifications and continuing education while fostering a professional, community-oriented policing environment that reflects the values of the Bishop Paiute Tribe. This is an armed position.
This list of duties and responsibilities is illustrative only of the tasks performed by this position and is not all-inclusive.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
- Enforce ordinances and resolutions of the Bishop Paiute Tribe as directed.
- Maintains efficient operation of Tribal Police Department by monitoring and directing department activities, budgeting and managing department expenses and assuming command of incidents of major importance or of a sensitive nature.
- Maintains effective working relationships with Tribal officials and members, employees, the public, and external agencies by acting as a liaison between various individuals and groups, assessing and resolving conflicts as needed, and communicating with the Tribal Council regarding issues that require further attention.
- Coordinate the preparation and presentation of the annual budget for the department; direct the implementation of the department’s budget, and submits for approval and administers departmental budget.
- Develop employees by interviewing and selecting qualified candidates for employment, planning, organizing and directing the work of command staff, monitoring and evaluating employee performance and initiating corrective action as needed, overseeing departmental performance review process, and approving salary and/or disciplinary decisions of subordinate staff.
- Plans, implements and coordinate and supervise the training, assignment, and development of subordinate police officers; Responsible for making sure all Tribal Police Officers are appropriately trained in all aspects of law enforcement duties.
- Supervises and manages patrol responsibilities, including traffic control, accident investigations, radio patrol response, personal equipment issue and control, work scheduling, and maintenance of accurate records.
- Orders supplies and equipment for department, maintains department equipment inventory, analyze and recommends improvements to equipment and facilities, as needed.
- Conducts follow up and internal investigations.
- Coordinate the information gathered and work accomplished by various officers; assign officers to special investigations as the needs arise for their specific skills and assists patrol officers on scene when necessary
- Collects, reviews, and controls all police records regarding criminal and civil offenses, motor vehicle accidents, criminal records, necessary statistical data, and other required written, filmed, or taped data of police activities when necessary.
- Researches and ensure that laws and ordinances are enforced and that public peace and safety is maintained with applicable statutes and case law.
- Develop policies and procedures for the department mandated by law, to ensure efficient operations of the department, and to implement directives from the Tribal Council and/or Tribal Administrator. Assists in development and maintenance of departmental operations and policies and procedures.
- Subject to 24-hour call out.
- Deliver and serve legal papers as requested by the Tribal Court or Tribal Council.
- Investigate alleged violations of ordinances and resolutions of the Bishop Paiute Tribe.
- Act as bailiff during Tribal Court Sessions and security at public meetings to maintain order.
- Patrol and observe the Bishop Paiute Reservation as requested by the Tribal Council.
- Write and complete reports for all incidents that occur and prepare appropriate documentation for the Tribal Court System.
- Commits to continued professional development to acquire, hone, maintain, and/or advance the knowledge and skills needed for optimal job performance.
- Other duties as assigned by management.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Supervises the Tribal Police and Animal Control Staff.
Education and Experience:
- Must have a valid Driver License and be insurable under the Tribe’s existing automobile insurance policy.
- A Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field or equivalent experience is highly desired.
- Must have 10 years’ experience with a California law enforcement agency or five (5) years’ experience with the Bishop Paiute Tribe Police Department with progressive leadership responsibility.
- Must have at least ten (10) years’ experience working with Indian Tribe’s ins a supervisory capacity and understanding of the concepts of sovereignty and relationships between tribal, local, state, federal law enforcement agencies and courts.
- California P.O.S.T. certified preferred.
- Police Academy or Bureau of Indian Affairs Indian Police Academy graduate.
- Knowledge of Public Law 280 and relevant Federal laws
- Must pass an extensive background investigation to include; Fingerprinting Clearance, Reference Checks, Criminal Background, Psychological Evaluation, Physical Agilities Test and Physical Examination.
- A combination of relevant education and professional experience may be considered in lieu of specific educational requirements, subject to interview performance and verification of qualifications.
Other Requirements:
- Managerial experience in law enforcement is desirable.
- Completion of college coursework in criminal justice and/or business management is desirable.
- Ability to manage and provide leadership and guidance to staff.
- Ability to identify and analyze options and choose appropriate course of action
- Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse group of internal and external contacts.
- Ability to maintain professionalism and composure.
- General word processing skills.
- Within 30 days of accepting employment, must be able to establish full-time residency within a 20 minute response time of the Bishop Paiute Tribe.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other law enforcement agencies, officials, and tribal community members.
- Must demonstrate basic knowledge of the unique sovereign status of Indian Tribes and respect for Paiute culture.
- Must comply with the Bishop Paiute Tribe’s Driving Policy, Drug-Free Workplace Policy and a Criminal Background Investigation.
- Pass a pre-employment drug screen and be subject to random drug testing throughout employment.
- Must have the ability to work with people from diverse cultures, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds and possess a basic knowledge of Native American communities and always maintain cultural sensitivity.
- Must comply with the Bishop Paiute Tribe’s organizational policies and laws.
Competencies:
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies to perform the essential functions of this position.
- Decision Making – the individual identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner and gathers and analyzes information skillfully to make the responsible decision.
- Interpersonal Skills - the individual maintains confidentiality, remains open to others’ ideas and exhibits willingness to try new things; ability to interact and maintain good working relationships with individuals of varying cultural and social backgrounds.
- Analytical Skills - Ability to analyze operational, statistical and financial information and draw logical conclusions; compare and interpret facts and figures.
- Communication – Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in-writing; ability to write clear and concise reports, memoranda, directives and letters.
- Customer Oriented – the individual delivers excellent service to both internal and external customers in a friendly and courteous manner.
- Time Management – the individual prioritizes and plans work activities, uses time efficiently and develops realistic action plans.
- Detail Oriented – the individual demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness and monitors own work to ensure quality.
- Adaptability – the individual adapts to changes in the work environment, manages competing demands and is able to deal with frequent change, delays or unexpected events.
- Reliability – the individual is consistently at work and on time, follows instructions, responds to management direction and solicits feedback to improve performance.
- Organized – the individual keeps clean and organized workspace and projects.
- Motivated – the individual inspires self and others about them to get the job done and follow through on tasks.
- Technology Skills – Operates various word-processing, spreadsheets, accounting, HR and database software programs in a Windows environment.
- Safety Oriented- Observes surroundings to maintain a safe working environment for community members and co-workers.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
To perform this job successfully, the staff member must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The demands described here are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of the job.
- Field Response Capability -
Must be physically capable of responding to emergency scenes, including walking, standing, running short distances, climbing, crouching, kneeling, and navigating uneven terrain common in rural environments. - Defensive & Tactical Readiness -
Must be able to safely operate department-issued firearms and defensive equipment, demonstrate proficiency in defensive tactics, and participate in periodic firearms and tactical training. - Strength & Mobility Requirements -
Ability to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds, assist in restraining individuals when necessary, and enter/exit patrol vehicles repeatedly throughout a shift. - Extended Work Capacity -
Ability to work extended hours, including nights, weekends, holidays, and emergency call-outs, and maintain mental and physical stamina during high-stress situations. - Environmental Tolerance -
Must be able to work in various weather conditions including heat, cold, wind, rain, and dusty environments typical of a rural community. - Visual & Auditory Standards -
Must maintain vision and hearing sufficient to perform law enforcement duties, including reading reports, operating equipment, and responding to verbal and radio communications.
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