Tribal law enforcement agencies in Washington hire officers who were previously fired or resigned under investigation at a rate four times higher than other departments, according to reporting by InvestigateWest and OPB. While tribal police make up only 2.5% of the state’s law enforcement workforce, they have hired 11% of the "wandering officers" who remained in the profession after being terminated elsewhere.

The disparity highlights a systemic funding gap that affects tribal departments across the state, including those serving communities in Southwest Washington. Until 2024, tribal departments were required to pay more than 75% of training costs to send a new recruit through the state’s basic training academy. Hiring an already certified officer—even one with a history of misconduct—can save a tribal budget tens of thousands of dollars.

Data from more than 11,000 employment records and internal disciplinary files revealed that 22 tribes in Washington have hired multiple officers with histories of termination or forced resignation. The Nooksack Indian Tribe Police Department, Chehalis Tribal Law Enforcement, and Tulalip Tribal Police Department each hired five or more such officers.

One case detailed by InvestigateWest involved Phineas Haglin, who worked for 11 different police departments over 30 years. Haglin was fired by at least two agencies—the Sauk-Suiattle Tribal Police and the Asotin County Sheriff’s Office—before being hired as a detective for the Kalispel Tribal Police Department. He was fired from that role on Sept. 27, 2021, after an investigation found he conducted an unlawful arrest at a casino and lied about the encounter in a signed affidavit. Investigators also found evidence he had solicited sex workers.

Despite these records, officers often find new employment because of a significant oversight backlog. The Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission currently faces a backlog of more than 1,500 cases. Because investigations into misconduct can take years, an officer often remains certified and eligible for hire at a new department while their case is pending.

Research indicates that officers previously fired for misconduct are significantly more likely to commit future violations, including excessive force and sexual violence. This poses a particular risk to Indigenous communities, where residents are statistically more likely to face police violence and may have fewer resources to seek legal recourse.

While some officers move to tribal departments to maintain state pensions after retiring from municipal or county roles, others are hired by under-resourced agencies facing severe staffing shortages. These departments, funded by a mix of federal grants and tribal revenue, often lack the ability to offer competitive pay or pensions, leaving them to choose between hiring an officer with a compromised record or leaving positions unfilled.

Source: Fired Washington police officers disproportionately hired for tribal policing, new reporting finds