The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community is a federally recognized Indian Tribe that occupies the Swinomish Reservation on the Puget Sound in Washington State. The Tribe is governed by a Constitution and Bylaws that was originally adopted in 1936 and by the Swinomish Senate, the Tribe’s governing body, which is comprised of 11 elected members who serve staggered five year terms.

The Swinomish Reservation is located on the southeastern end of Fidalgo Island a few miles east of the City of Anacortes and a few miles west of the City of Mount Vernon in Skagit County. The Reservation is surrounded by 27 miles of salt water shoreline and is bounded on the west by Skagit Bay, on the east by Swinomish Channel and on the north by Padilla Bay. It's connected to the mainland by a 4-lane bridge and State Highway 20 on the north end of Swinomish Channel and by a 2-lane bridge on the south end. Tribal headquarters are located in the historic Swinomish Village on the southeast portion of the Reservation, across the Channel from the Town of La Conner.

The Reservation is about 15 square miles in size and includes 7,450 acres of upland and approximately 2,900 acres of tidelands. Today, the Tribe exercises jurisdictional authority over all lands within the Reservation boundaries, and provide governmental and other services to tribal members, non-member Indians and non-Indians, including 24 hour police protection, water and sewer service, and planning and permitting services that are available to all residents within the Reservation. The Tribe also provides services and programs for tribal members, including education, housing, senior services, and medical and dental services.

The Swinomish Police Department is a small, tightly knit police department that encompasses a Chief, Assistant Chief, a Detective Sergeant, 2 Sergeants, a Corporal, a Detective and 9 Officers with 3 Community Service Officers, a Police Records Manager and Police Records Specialist. Our department strongly emphasizes community-oriented policing. The call load allows us the opportunity to conduct pro-active police work along with responding to calls for service. This enables us to deploy a combination of pro-active and reactive patrol tactics. You have the opportunity to work a case from beginning to end, giving your input and advice through each stage of the process. The Swinomish Police Department has many specialty units and training opportunities to include all types of instructor positions-Defensive Tactics/EVOC/Less Lethal/RADAR-LIDAR Instructor/Field Training Officer/Swift and Cold-Water Rescue Unit/Back Country Tracker, as well as Marine/Boat Operator, UAS/Drone Pilot, Drug Task Force Detective with the Skagit County Drug Task Force and Explorer Advisor Program/Post Manager. These positions pay a 4% premium on top of any educational incentive.  All of our employees are expected to be generalists and to work to accomplish the mission, goals and guiding principles of the police department through P.R.I.D.E-Professionalism, Respect, Intelligence, Determination and Ethical behavior.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Swinomish Police Officers are certified, general-authority officers who perform work involving the protection of life and property, the enforcement of laws and ordinances, the maintenance of order, the investigation of crimes, and the reduction of crimes. Police officers provide services and education to the police and perform other related work as required. The work is performed in accordance with accepted, contemporary policing practices and departmental regulations.

This position requires consistent attention and commitment to the Department's vision and mission. All assigned duties and tasks are expected to be performed effectively, efficiently, and safely. The police officer must accept the responsibility to support and promote the department and community's mission and comply with their directives. Personal conduct and behavior must be such that they do not bring disrepute and unnecessarily endanger the public's trust or confidence in the department or its members. This position requires a high level of problem-solving ability, self-initiative, and the ability and willingness to work most of the time without supervision. Successful candidates are capable and willing to make decisions consistent with the Department’s vision, mission, goals, and objectives.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Major duties involve responding to calls for service, patrolling in a directed manner, deterring and detecting crime, investigating complaints, citing and/or arresting law violators, following up on pending reports and cases, and protecting persons and property. When not responding to priority calls for service or otherwise directed by a supervisor, a police officer is expected to use self-directed work time efficiently by self-initiating work on neighborhood problems and seeking solutions consistent with the Department's mission. The qualified police officer may temporarily assume a Sergeant's duties, activities, and tasks as necessary.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

- Knowledge and understanding of the problems and attitudes of people of all ethnic and economic groups regarding law enforcement agencies.

- Ability to adapt to shift work

- Ability to analyze situations quickly and objectively, recognizing actual and potential dangers and determining a proper and legal course of action

- Ability to write clear incident reports, organizing details logically

- Ability to read, understand, and interpret laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations

- Ability to cope with situations firmly, tactfully, and with respect for individual rights

- Ability to speak well and express oneself clearly

- Ability to communicate effectively with diverse people from all ethnic backgrounds, including those with social and behavioral complications

- Ability to establish and maintain effective relations with fellow employees/co-workers and with citizens from all racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds

- Ability to develop skills in the use and care of a variety of firearms and less-than-lethal tools

- Ability to perform strenuous physical tasks such as pursuing fleeing suspects on foot or arresting suspects who resist

- Ability to learn and use investigative techniques and procedures

- Ability to observe and remember details

- Ability to complete satisfactorily the prescribed courses in training at the police academy

- Excellent driving ability

WORK HOURS AND TIME COMMITMENT

The work schedule is 40+ hours per week, with a Pitman (12 hours shifts, working one week MON, TUE, FRI, SAT and SUN but the next week only working WED and THU, GUARANTEED EVER OTHER WEEKEND OFF) schedule structure, and earning overtime for extra hours worked.

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS

The Personnel Policies and Procedures of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community apply to all employees. The position of Police Officer is considered to be a “non-standard” hours position, eligible for overtime. All offers (Conditional and Final) of employment are contingent on completing a background investigation, a polygraph test, a psychological test and a medical including a drug and alcohol screening.

Swinomish Tribal Police Department - Lateral Police Officer has 1 vacancy.

The deadline to test for the next hiring cycle is November 30, 2026.

Lateral/Experience/BLEA Certified/Advanced-Entry Applications are being accepted at this time. Make sure to complete a Swinomish Employment Job Application in addition to all of the requirements of Public Safety Testing in order to be eligible.  

Number of Current Vacancies: 1

To be considered as a lateral candidate you must be a Washington State Criminal Justice Training Academy Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) Certified Officer with a minimum of 12 months experience beyond the police academy and FTO with a law enforcement agency.  If you have completed BLEA or a State Academy that is recognized by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission or the Federal Parks Law Enforcement Academy (PLEA) Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy or Center (FLETC) and have less that 12 months of experience we can bring you on as an Experienced, Exceptional or Advanced Entry or BLEA Certified Officer.  This allows us to start you at potentially a higher level of pay, along with other benefits.  PLEASE CALL US TO INQUIRE WITHIN BY CONTACTING SGT DAVID SCHWAHN AT 360-708-7093 OR EMAIL HIM AT DSCHWAHN@SWINOMISH.NSN.US.

PAY FOR LATERAL/EXPERIENCED/EXCEPTIONAL ENTRY/ADVANCED OR BLEA CERTIFIED OFFICERS CAN START AT $47.12 PER HOUR OR $8,166.33 PER MONTH WHICH EQUATES TO $97,996.01 PER YEAR WITH AN ADDITIONAL STEP OR LEVEL OF $51.19 OR $8,871.40 OR $106,456.80. Lateral Officers start at a higher step and will accrue vacation at potentially a higher rate. There are compounding or stacking incentives for education and specialty pay with the opportunity for advancement. Our specialty duty assignments don't require a service requirement so Officers can obtain a specialty assignment within a shorter time than neighboring agencies.

-Best Schedule: 12 hour shifts with every other weekend off. You only work 14 or 16 days per month. More time off.

-Opportunities for Advancement and Specialty or Skills Assignment/Positions after completing Field Training Post-Academy (Basic Law Enforcement Academy or BLEA). For entry level candidates BLEA you are paid through the entire academy and all meals/lodging are provided.

-Newer take home vehicles with state of the art equipment/technology upon hire. No pool vehicles. You get to set up your vehicle the way you want.

-New Uniforms and equipment including custom jumpsuits provided.

-401k match up to 4%.

-13 Paid Holidays including Native and Indigenous Days.

-Vacation Accrual rates 0 to 3 years-8 hours, 3 to 7 years-12 hours and 7+ years-20 hours per month.

-Up to 240 hours of Parental Leave per year.

-Medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance provided. 40 hours of Bereavement Leave for immediate family members. Employee Assistance Program is also available.