Summary

Under the direction of the tribal Council, the Chief of Police is responsible for planning, overseeing, and directing the activities, operations, and personnel of the department. The Chief of Police performs a variety of complex, administrative, supervisory and professional tasks in maintaining law and order, protecting life and property, and enforcing laws and ordinances of the Cocopah Indian Tribe. The Chief of Police must have a strong knowledge of law enforcement, public safety, crime prevention, and law enforcement management.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Directs, plans, and organizes all activities of the Police Department to prevent crime and enforce laws and regulations.
• Maintains law and order in the community, including prevention, detection, and investigation of crimes.
• Develops and implements policies and procedures for the Police Department.
• Addresses the public, council, local leaders, and other law enforcement agencies regarding law enforcement issues.
• Responds to emergencies, major crimes, and critical incidents in the community.
• Promulgates rules and regulations for the department.
• Improves staff effectiveness by coaching, counseling, training, and recommending disciplinary action for employees; planning, delegating, monitoring, and appraising job tasks and results promptly.
• Ensures that the tribal sovereignty and jurisdictional powers and authority of the department are recognized and observed by all domestic and foreign law enforcement agencies and their personnel.
• Conduct internal investigations in the Police Department. Takes necessary disciplinary action in situations when appropriate.
• Achieves financial objectives through budget preparation; fiscal management; recruitment and contract negotiations.
• Prepares purchase order requests to obtain funds for special operations or equipment.
• Seeks, prepares, and submits requests for federal funding.
• Maintains positive relations with community members and agencies by educating and informing on safety and law enforcement.
• Maintains appropriate documentation on incidences as required by law enforcement.
• Communicates with local, state, regional, and outside agencies and associations representing as the Chief of Police for the Cocopah Indian Tribe.
• Assumes command of law enforcement activities on the scene during major emergencies.
• Reviews reports prepared and submitted by subordinates.
• Manages and supervises federal grants.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of the Cocopah Nation's Police Department rules and regulations.
• Knowledge of tribal, federal, state criminal, traffic, and civil codes and laws.
• Knowledge of police/law enforcement administration, including budgeting, program planning and development, employee supervision, and training.
• Knowledge of police operations including investigation, patrol, communications, records, community/public relations, and crime prevention.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with other law enforcement/regulatory agencies, departmental staff, tribal officials, and the public.
• Skill in understanding and interpreting complex statutes, ordinances, regulations, and standards.
• Skill in problem-solving, human relations, and time management.
• Proficient in the preparation of writing budget proposals, contracts, or funds allocations.
• Skill in directing investigative, community and public relations, crime prevention, and support activities.
• Skill in providing leadership to and evaluating the work of subordinate staff.
• Skill in evaluating operations and programs to determine if they meet the Cocopah Nation's needs.
• Ability to manage day-to-day operations of the Police Department.
• Ability to respond to community issues and concerns with a high level of sensitivity.
• Ability to schedule and facilitate meetings, conferences, training, etc.
• Ability to prepare accurate, complete, and legible reports and present detailed, accurate information, oral presentations and respond to questions.
• Ability to establish and maintain excellent working relationships with other individuals of varying social and cultural backgrounds.
• Available to be on-call, work weekends and holidays, work various schedules; if needed.
• Ability to make intelligent and effective decisions in routine and during emergencies.

Qualifications

• Reliable upon emergency call situations.
• Must possess a valid state driver's license.
• Must be Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Council certified.
• Must meet Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Law Enforcement Standards and obtain Special Law Enforcement Commission (S.L.E.C.) within six months from being hired.
• Must possess an approved Law Enforcement Supervisor Training certification or equivalent training.
• Must complete and maintain a minimum of 40 hours in service training a year per BIA standards.
• Must successfully pass/complete firearms qualifications twice a year per BIA standards.
• Must be able to undergo and pass a bureau of Indian affairs background investigation.
• Candidate must submit and pass a DPS/FBI fingerprint background check.
• Must be willing to sign a confidentiality statement upon hire.
• Must have residency in the United States and live within a 30-mile radius.
• Testing may be required.

Education and/or Experience

• Minimum requirement includes Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, Public Safety or related field is required or any combination of education equivalent to bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, public administration, business management, or related field, from an accredited college or university.
• Minimum 10-years of law enforcement experience, with a minimum of 8 years working in a supervisory role in law enforcement.
• Graduate of a Certified Public Safety Executive leadership course; preferred.

NATIVE AMERICAN AND CURRENT EMPLOYEE EMPLOYMENT PREFERENCE POLICIES ARE APPLICABLE TO ALL POSITIONS. MUST BE ABLE TO PASS A PRE-EMPLOYMENT AND ON-GOING RANDOM DRUG/ALCOHOL TESTING.

We Offer Great Fringe Benefits for our Full-time Positions

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life/AD&D Insurance, Employee Assistance Program,

401K Plan with Employer Match, Ancillary Benefits (AFLAC, VTL)

Disclaimers: There are suitability standards that all applicants must meet to obtain employment with Cocopah Casino and the Cocopah Indian Tribe. Applicants who have felonies, warrants, outstanding tickets, and misdemeanors for shoplifting, weapons, theft, or numerous drug convictions will not be eligible for employment.

By our policy and procedure manual, newly hired employees' pay shall be set to at least the minimum value of the pay schedule to which the position has been allocated according to our Pay schedule based on education and experience, but pay shall not exceed the mid-point for the pay grade.

AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The Cocopah Indian Tribe is a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination employer. All employees are required to be fully vaccinated as a condition of employment.

The opening and closing of these positions are subject to change upon the needs of each department. For more information please contact Cocopah Human Resources at 928-627-2102.