Tribal Council approves Department of Justice grant application

By Danielle Harrison

Smoke Signals editor

Tribal Council approved a $390,000 grant application to the Department of Justice for a Tribal community policing grant at its Wednesday, Feb. 21, meeting.

The Community Oriented Policing Services Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation three-year grant will be used to purchase one new patrol vehicle, a utility terrain vehicle, necessary equipment for the vehicles, officers training and outreach materials. 

“This is a competitive grant that we successfully received $217,000 in 2023 for two police vehicles,” Grants Management Assistant Dana Morfin said during a Tuesday, Feb. 20, Legislative Action Committee meeting. “This opportunity allows us to prevent or reduce drug crime and use, increase patrolling capacity and allows us to enhance our domestic violence (prevention) program, Missing and Murdered Indigenous People efforts, sex trafficking and stalking efforts, and to help with outreach about our available programs.”

In other action, Tribal Council:

• Added new General Manager Angie Blackwell as an authorized signer on Tribal accounts and authorized her use of a Tribal credit card;
• Approved amending a contract with Northwest Professional Consortium Inc.;
• Approved final drafts of the Tribal Transportation Improvement Program and the Long Range Transportation Plan;
• Approved an application to the U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration for a four-year Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program grant totaling $2.8 million;
• Approved entering into an agreement with the city of Salem to assist the Tribal Police Department in providing administrative support services on evenings and weekends;
• And enrolled one infant into the Tribe because they meet the requirements outlined in the Tribal Constitution and Enrollment Ordinance.

Tribal Council also set the agenda for the next General Council meeting. It will be in a hybrid format at 11 a.m. Sunday, March 3, on Zoom and in Tribal Council Chambers, with a report about capital improvement projects.

To watch the entire meeting, visit the Tribal government’s website at www.grandronde.org and click on the Videos tab.