Police Officer

Hood River, OR or Boardman, OR
Columbia River Inter-Tribal Police Department

Police Officer (multiple openings)

Closing Date: Open until filled.

The Columbia River Inter-Tribal Police Department (CRITPD) is the law enforcement arm of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC). CRITFC is a tribal organization wholly owned and governed by four sovereign treaty tribes: the Yakama Nation, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and the Confederated Tribes of the Warms Springs Reservation of Oregon.

CRITFC was formed in 1977 to provide coordination, management, enforcement, and technical services. It assists the member tribes’ efforts to maintain the integrity of the fishing rights reserved in their 1855 treaties with the United States government.

CRITPD’s primary mission is to provide law enforcement services as a component of the tribes’ rights to self-governance and self-regulation. The enforcement team protects the fishery resource and the tribal members exercising their treaty rights. CRITPD consists of patrol officers, dispatchers, victim advocate, and administrative personnel. Officers are Oregon-certified and serve as an extension of tribal law enforcement. They hold commissions from all four CRITFC member tribes, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the State of Oregon, and some counties in Washington.

CRITPD officers’ duties are similar to those of other conservation officers. Officers inspect catch, gear, identifications, and fishing sites. This can range from a simple contact to a full investigation using high-tech surveillance equipment. Officers provide general assistance on the Columbia River to anyone during times of need, including search and rescue during severe weather conditions or emergency situations. Officers provide police services to the 31 tribal fishing sites, other tribal lands along the Columbia River, and patrol the Columbia River between Bonneville and McNary dams, a 150-mile stretch of known as the Zone 6 fishing area.

CRITPD officers carry out all enforcement and protective patrols by foot, vehicle, and boat on the Columbia River (Oregon and Washington shores) and its environs. They also patrol at the In-lieu and Treaty Fishing Access Sites. Officers are expected to achieve and maintain the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) requirements as well as meet all CRITPD requirements and qualifications. Officers are required to reside within 30 minutes of the enforcement offices in Hood River or Boardman, OR.

 

Position Details

Department: Enforcement

Classification: Full time, 40 hours/week, Regular (i.e. not temporary)

Pay: Police Officers are paid an annual salary of $62,400 (no police experience) to $68,806 (> 4 years of police experience). This is equivalent to $30.00 to $33.08/hour.

Location: Hood River, OR or Boardman, OR

Work Schedule: 4×10 shifts, Sunday to Wednesday or Wednesday to Sunday. All officers rotate day, swing, and night shift every two months.

Recruitment Period: Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Contact Captain Russell Spino if you would like to ask questions or discuss the position informally before you submit an application.

 

Responsibilities

  • Enforce tribal fishing regulations and provide law enforcement services along the Columbia River.
  • Maintain a working knowledge of and respect for the unique customs and traditions of the four member tribes, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, and the Nez Perce Tribe.
  • Deescalate stressful situations through calm and careful communications.
  • Learn and maintain strong knowledge of laws, resolutions, and tribal codes. These include the codes of the four member tribes, the codes of the states of Oregon and Washington, and the codes of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and other federal agencies.
  • Investigate violations and incidents, issue warnings and citations, apprehend violators, write case reports, prepare cases for court, process evidence and property.
  • Learn how to use firearms in a safe and effective manner.
  • Be an exceptional team member for your fellow officers. Listen well and speak with respect.
  • Provide assistance to Indians or any citizen during times of need.
  • Always put safety first. Safely operate boats, vehicles, firearms, radios, and other electronic equipment.

 

Qualifications

  • A strong track record of attendance and being on time for work. A reputation for being someone who can be counted on to not miss shifts.
  • There is a residence requirement to facilitate officers reporting to work in a reliable and dependable manner. Generally, officers must live in Zone 6 of the Columbia River, i.e. in between McNary Dam (near Umatilla) and the Bonneville Dam, and no more than 15 miles south of Highway 84 (OR) or Highway 14 (WA). Trainees may live outside this area but once training is complete, they must follow the full residence requirement.
  • In order to become a sworn Officer in the State of Oregon, you must be able to meet minimum moral fitness and ethical qualifications and pass a background investigation with no convictions of felonies. Candidates with misdemeanor criminal history will be considered on a case by case basis.
  • This job requires driving a CRITFC police vehicle and therefore you must be able to meet the terms of the CRITFC Motor Vehicle policy. Per the policy, applicants are required to have a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record for the past three years. This includes a three-year record clear of the following:
    • Reckless Driving
    • Driving Under the Influence
    • Suspension or revoked license
    • No more than two at-fault accidents
    • One major violation or two minor violations.
  • Must be 21 yeas of age prior to the first day of employment.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen or obtain citizenship within 18 months of hire.

 

Supervision

Supervision Received: This position works under the direct supervision of the Patrol Sergeant.

Supervision Given: Police Officers exercise no supervisory authority except in those instances where one officer has clear seniority over another and circumstances require an immediate decision or leadership.

 

Working Conditions

This is a physically challenging job. Officers conduct patrols by vehicle, foot, or boat. They must be able to lift and pull fishing gear in all weather conditions. Occasionally, long hours of surveillance are required. Officers are required to qualify for and carry firearms, conducted energy device (i.e. Taser), caspicum (i.e. pepper spray), and a baton. They must be prepared to handle physical, verbal, and potentially dangerous confrontations. Officers must have availability to work rotating shifts (days, swings, and nights) to ensure patrol coverage 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Some holiday work will be required. Approximately twice per month, some overtime work will be required due to writing reports, processing evidence/property, conducting surveillance, preparing cases, or appearing in court.

 

CRITFC Motor Vehicle Policy

Applicants are required to have a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record for the past three years. This includes a three-year record clear of the following:

  • Reckless Driving
  • Driving Under the Influence
  • Suspension or revoked license
  • No more than two at-fault accidents
  • One major violation or two minor violations.

 

Columbia River Inter-Tribal Police Department (CRITPD) offers full testing services for the position of Police Officer through National Testing Network (NTN). To register with NTN and schedule a test, go to www.nationaltestingnetwork.com, select ‘Find Jobs’, then select Law Enforcement Jobs and sign up for Columbia River Inter-Tribal Police Department.

When you visit the www.nationaltestingnetwork.com website:

  • Complete the NTN registration process and schedule your
    • Review all information related to the CRITPD, including minimum requirements, salary, and benefits.
  • Review detailed information about the testing
  • Review the Frequently Asked Questions and take an online practice test (if desired).

Upon completion of your scheduled exam, scores are automatically forwarded to CRITPD. Candidates who attain a passing score on the entry level exam will be placed on CRITPD’s eligibility list. CRITPD will contact candidates on the list and will invite them to participate in further stages of the selection process.

National Testing Network is a service provided to conduct entry level testing in a standardized, professional environment. National Testing Network does not replace the CRITPD’s responsibility and decision making in the testing process. All candidate results are provided to Columbia River Inter- Tribal Police Department where the final decisions are made.