Klamath Tribes welcome new Police Chief
/Vernon Alvarez named Chief of Police
The following is a press release from the Klamath Tribes of Oregon.
CHILOQUIN, Ore. - The Klamath Tribes are pleased to announce the hiring of Mr. Vernon Alvarez as the Chief of Police for the newly formed Public Safety Department of the Klamath Tribes.
Chairman Don Gentry stated “I am very excited to welcome Police Chief Alvarez to the Klamath Tribes and Klamath Basin community. 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 initially began the process of developing a Public Safety Division in 2011 after Oregon legislators enacted Senate Bill 412 which recognizes tribal officers as state officers. The initial process lost momentum but was revived in 2019 when the Klamath Tribal Council appointed a Public Safety Ad-Hoc Committee under the helm of Councilmember Willa Powless and Administration General Manager George López. The committee met bi-weekly for the past 2 ½ years to establish the newly formed Public Safety Department which became official upon the Hiring of Chief Alvarez. The Klamath Tribes was one of two tribes 1 in the nation to receive technical assistance from the Department of Justice’s Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC)2 to create a new department.
Councilwoman Willa Powless said “We are thrilled to bring aboard Chief Alvarez. In a true exercise of sovereignty this is a historic move for the Klamath Tribes. The Tribes are excited to bring a much-needed resource to Klamath County and the local community.”
Alvarez brings more than three decades of law enforcement experience working exclusively for Native American Tribal governments. He is a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of Idaho, and grew up in Reno, Nevada and later moved back to the Fort Hall Indian reservation. Vernon began his law enforcement career in 1993 working for his Tribe. Prior to coming to the Klamath Tribes, Vernon was employed as the Administrator/Chief of Corrections and Commissioned Tribal Law Enforcement Officer for the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation.
Under the leadership of Chief Alvarez, the Public Safety Division will be focused on community policing and collaboration with local stakeholders. The Klamath Tribes will hold public meetings for tribal and non-tribal community members to help gather input on the new department.
The Klamath Tribes are honored to be recipients of the Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) grant i which was announced by the Department of Justice in September. Funding not only will benefit the tribes but will be a benefit to the entire community.
Alvarez stated, “I am honored to be working with the Tribal Council, General Manager George López, Tribal Department Managers, stakeholders of the Tribes, and most importantly, the Klamath Tribes members and community, as well as working collaboratively with outside public safety jurisdictions to gather information for laying the groundwork and infrastructure for the Klamath Tribes Department of Public Safety.”