Our Mission
To follow and carry out the guidance of the Cowlitz Indian tribe’s: constitution; laws; ordinance; civil and criminal statutes; and the rules and regulations, in a spirit of support for the Cowlitz tribal members. We strive in fostering justice, freedom and equality for the Cowlitz tribal members.
The department was created to continue in backing social economic justices for the Cowlitz people; to protect and secure the aboriginals lands and natural resources, and therein preserve the Cowlitz culture.
The Cowlitz Public Safety Department has recently enrolled in the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). Benefits of participation in CALEA Accreditation are but not limited too.
- Increased community advocacy. Accreditation embodies the precepts of community-oriented policing. It creates a forum in which law enforcement agencies and citizens work together to prevent, and control challenges confronting law enforcement and provides clear direction about community expectations.
- Staunch support from government officials: Accreditation provides objective evidence of an agency’s commitment to excellence in leadership, resource management, and service-delivery. Thus, government official is more confident in the agency’s ability to operate efficiently and meet community needs.
- Stronger defense against civil lawsuits: Accredited agencies are better able to defend themselves against civil lawsuits. Also, many agencies report a decline in legal actions against them, once they become accredited.
- Reduced risk and liability exposure: Many agencies report a reduction in their liability insurance costs and/or reimbursement of accreditation fees.
- Greater accountability within the agency: CALEA standards give the CEO a proven management system of written directives, sound training, a clearly defined lines of authority, and routine reports that support decision-making and resource allocation.
The Cowlitz Public Safety Department Tribal Police Department will make history by becoming the first tribal law enforcement program on the West Coast of the United States of America to achieve this gold standard in law enforcement.
We are currently enrolled in the program and we have a three-year window to achieve CALEA Accreditation standards. This will be team effort which will require teamwork, dedication and perseverance.
Click here to download or view Public Safety Survey
Our phone # is 360-727-2119 and the address is 31501 NW 31st Ave, Ridgefield, WA 98642