SRPD History

At the establishment of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC), Law Enforcement was under the authority of the Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). In later years, Law Enforcement was under the direction of the BIA Area Agency Criminal Investigator.

In 1963, the SRPMIC Council appointed the BIA Criminal Investigator as Tribal Police Commissioner. The duties of the Tribal Police Commissioner were to assist in organizing a Tribal Police Force to include training and administration.

In 1967, the SRPMIC assumed full control of the law and order program. The BIA Law Enforcement Officer positions were abolished and the Tribal Police Department was first established. The first SRPD Police Chief was Burnett “Buddy” Gates. The first SRPD shoulder patch was designed by Officer Harrison W. Rhoades.

Starting in 1972, all Salt River Police Officers attended a State Police Academy and upon graduation were State Certified Peace Officers.

In 1975, the Salt River Tribal Police Department was responsible for both Police operations and jail operations.

In 1992, the Salt River Tribal Police Department began training their Detectives to become certified through the BIA with a Deputy Special Officer (DSO) Commission to investigate and submit Federal cases directly with the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO).

In 1994, the Salt River Tribal Police Department’s Officers were submitting Federal cases directly to the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) without any BIA or FBI assistance. All SRPD Police Officers since 1994 are Tribal, State and Federal Sworn Police Officers who exclusively investigate and submit cases to Tribal, State and Federal Prosecutors. SLEC Certification.

Established in 1994, the Salt River Police Department was the first in Indian Country Law Enforcement to begin a Crime Stoppers Program.

Established in 1995, the Salt River Police Department was the first in Indian Country Law Enforcement to begin a Police Explorer Post.

Established in 1996, the Salt River Police Department was the first in Indian Country Law Enforcement to begin a Special Operations Unit (Tactical Team).

In 1999, Salt River Department of Public Safety changed names to the Salt River Police Department (SRPD).

February 16, 2000, the SRPMIC Council established the Salt River Department of Corrections (SRDOC) which was empowered with the full authority and responsibilities of operating the community jail operations.

Established in 2001, the Salt River Police Department was the first in Indian Country Law Enforcement to begin a SMART Moves program in conjunction with the “Boys and Girls Club.”

August 1 2001, our Police and Fire Communications Center moved into our permanent facility located at Saddleback Communications on McKellips with state-of-the-art communications equipment and technology.

February 25, 2003, the Dedication of the new Salt River Police and Fire Lehi District Station Building occurred.

Established in 2004, the Salt River Police Department was the first in Indian Country Law Enforcement to begin an Intelligence Unit.

December 2, 2006, the Dedication of the new Salt River Police and Fire Indian Bend District Station Building occurred.

November 4, 2008, SRPD became full member partners in the East Valley Gang and Criminal Information Fusion Center. First Fusion Center in USA to have Tribal representation.

August 04, 2009, the Dedication of the new Salt River Police and Fire Indian School Road District Station Building occurred.

April 11, 2011, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick opened for Spring Training 2011 MLB season. This was the first MLB stadium built within Indian Country jurisdiction and the SRPD since then has provided SRPD staffing for safety and security.

October 01, 2012, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) the SRPD was recognized with the IACP Webber Seavey Award For Quality in Law Enforcement, for our SRPD “Operation Safe Roads Project.”

August 18, 2014, SRPD launched our new Public Safety Radio Communications Project consisting of State-of-the-art new Radio Communications System comprised of five (05) new towers/antenna sites, 340 new portables and mobile radios, multiple IGA’s for full multi-agency interoperability and our new Communications Center. Our new Communications System and new Communications Center has absolutely improved our service, operations and response to Calls For Service and enhanced Police Officer, Firefighter and our Community’s safety.

Starting May 2016 and continues today, Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) and De-Escalation Trained Police Officers, Negotiators, CISM and Peer Support.

Starting May 2016 and continues today, new safety equipment (New body armor, ballistic shields in every SRPD vehicle, new helmets, new SOU gear and new SOU IBA kits / vests, new firearms, CAT’s, IFAC’s and Narcan) and new equipment and technology (e.g.: “Morpho Track”, “Tru Narc” and 8 UAS, soon E-Citation and ALPR) and several new vehicles (several APV’s, trucks and motorcycles and our new SRPD Mobile Activity Command Van vehicle a $1 million dollar state of the art 45 foot vehicle).

Starting May 2016 and continues today, several excellent recruiting and training programs, such as: the SRPD Preparatory Class, Dispatcher “Boot Camp,” Virtual Dispatcher “Boot Camp” and “Criticall On Line.”

Starting May 2016 and continues today, Verifiable Accountability, Meeting Standards and Maximum Productivity, such as: Audits and Inspections, Fixed Assets, Inventory and FOD Comp. Stat. Program.

March 25, 2017, Phoenix Rising Soccer Club, United Soccer League (USL) opened for the 2017 USL Soccer Season. This was the first USL stadium built within Indian Country jurisdiction and the SRPD since then has provided SRPD staffing for safety and security.

On May 8, 2017, SRPD launched our SRPD Reserve Police Officer Program.

On June 18, 2017, SRPD launched our new SRPD Chaplaincy Program.

On June 30, 2017, The Salt River Police Department celebrated its 50th Anniversary. The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community celebrated having its own law enforcement agency independent from the Bureau of Indian Affairs for the last 50 years.

On January 30, 2018, SRPD launched the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Program. UAS training concluded, all six (06) SRPD Pilots are now officially Certified UAS Pilots by FAA. By 2022, SRPD now has 12 Certified UAS Pilots, operates eight (08) UAS and through the FAA the SRPD received official designation as a Public Aircraft Operator (PAO).

On February 9, 2018, SRPD signed the Maricopa County Sexual Assault Protocol Manual.

On March 15, 2018, SRPD became members of the ADHS Public Health Excellence in Law Enforcement (PHLE) Program mandatory opioid overdose reporting and deployment of Narcan. 14th Department in State of Arizona to join.

On July 30, 2018, SRPD officially submitted application to the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police (AACOP) Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (ALEAP) and will be one of the first Accredited in the State of Arizona.

On August 2, 2018, SRPD has joined the Pledge with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) new initiative called “The One Mind Campaign”, Industry Standards and Best Practices for Police and Professionals response to persons with Mental Health concerns. 10th Department in State of Arizona to join. First within Indian Country.

On July 12, 2019, the Dedication of the SRPD Property and Evidence Bureau (PEB) Building, a state of the art 30,000 square foot modern facility, occurred.

Starting in 2019, SRPD conducted and continues today, Active Assailant Training, Civilian Response to Active Shooter Event (CRASE) Training, Stop the Bleed (STB) Training, Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) and Rescue Task Force (RTF) Training, for SRPD Team Members, our SRFD professionals and businesses, SRPMIC Government, schools and churches.

On September 16, 2019, SRPD collaborative actions and efforts upon the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) initiative that continues today.

On January 9, 2020, the SRPD facilitated and co-hosted at TSR the Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attack (CCTA) Tabletop Exercise.

On January 15, 2020, the SRPD launched our new, “Hear or See Something Suspicious Call the SRPD” Program.

On June 1, 2020, the SRPD created a specific SRFD Mutual Aid radio channel.

On Wednesday July 15, 2020, the Salt River Police Department (SRPD) received from the Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (ALEAP) Full Accreditation, becoming the fifth Police Department out of a possible 140 Police Agencies within the State of Arizona, to achieve this level of Certification.

On August 24, 2020, SRPD launched our new Power DMS for all of our SRPD Operations Orders (Policies, Procedures and Training Bulletins).

On September 10, 2020, SRPD launched our new Rapid SOS Jurisdiction View System.

December 1, 2020, the SRPD met all DOJ Standards for Certification on Safe Policing for Safe Communities and received our DOJ Standards for Certification on Safe Policing for Safe Communities.

On August 16, 2021, SRPD launched our new excellent informative flyer about Fentanyl and the potential life threatening dangers, called the, “One Pill Can Kill” campaign.

On August 18, 2021, SRPD launched our new Rapid SOS Emergency Health Profile program.

On October 1, 2021, SRPD launched our new Hiring Bonus Program.

On December 1, 2021, SRPD launched our new Lateral Police Officer Pay Program. Scaled salary starting pay for newly hired SRPD Lateral Police Officers.

Two (02) SRPD Supervisors (1 from our SRPD Communications Bureau and 1 from our SRPD Records Bureau) graduates of the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) Leaders in Training (LIT) Program.

On January 1, 2022, SRPD launched our new Rapid Deploy System.

All SRPD PSCB Dispatchers are APCO Certified, CPR Certified and EMD Certified and NENA Excellence in Dispatch (EID) Certified. SRPD is the first Communication Center with all Dispatchers NENA EID Certified in the USA.

On February 25, 2022, SRPD launched two (02) new SRPD Intelligence Unit products and resources called: The SRPD IU Briefing Patterns and Trends Bulletin and the SRPD Crime Statistics Mapping Application link.

Our SRPMIC Council approved funding for a new Police and Fire District Station building, called the SRPD and SRFD 92nd Street Public Safety Building, to be located at 1145 North 92nd Street.

Our SRPMIC Council approved funding for our new SRPD Integrated Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) for Police and Fire, software, hardware and technology at our SRPD Communications Center.

Our SRPMIC Council approved funding for our new upgraded Motorola APX Next (with ViQi and CCA systems) portable radios, full deployment of over 200 portable radios, completed March 2022.

Our SRPD Communications Bureau will be applying soon for APCO American National Standards (ANS) Certification of our Training Programs (or called P33 Program). Only 90 Police Departments in the USA (out of 17,500) and only 1 in Arizona (Chandler PD) have met this Certification Level and National Standard.

Salt River Chiefs of Police

1967 to 1970	Burnett “Buddy” Gates
1970 to 1972	Elsworth Ray
1972 to 1972	Ben Wood
1972 to 1974	Wolfram Ott
1974 to 1979	Ronald Thomas
1979 to 1996	Edward Reina Jr.
1996 to 2004	Gary D. Tahmahkera
2004 to 2006	Karl G. Auerbach (Acting)
2006 to 2011	Stanley L. Kephart
2011 to 2011	Karl G. Auerbach (Acting)
2011 to 2016	Patrick R. Melvin
2016 to present	Karl G. Auerbach