By Shaun Scott, Puyallup Tribal News
Puyallup Tribal Police Officer Zack Young saw the straws and drug paraphernalia right away.
He also saw the fear in the homeless individuals’ eyes as he exited his vehicle and walked toward the group on a Wednesday in August.
Instead of reading them their rights, he decided to extend a helping hand of support to the small group that was camping near the Roosevelt Ditch on Tacoma’s east side just north of the Tribe’s Tiny Homes Village.
The camp immediately left the area after Young contacted them due to the City of Tacoma’s municipal code prohibiting individuals camping within 200 feet of a protected waterway. The Roosevelt Ditch feeds into the Puyallup River. Young said even though the area was technically in Tacoma, Tribal police officers are allowed to enforce the protected waterway.
Young said the majority of the contacts he makes on his regular shift are encounters with the homeless population. The Tribe’s police force works closely with the Washington State Department of Transportation, Fife Police Department, and the City of Tacoma’s Homeless Engagement and Alternatives Liaison Team to help homeless individuals get the help they need.
“I don’t look at the homeless population as a problem, I look at it as an issue. It is important to work with the agencies around us to address these issues,” Young said. “We just don’t want to push it off to them. We want to have a cohesive approach to it.”
After visiting the Puyallup River to ensure fishermen were following proper rules and protocols, Young went to the former Selma Carson Home located in the 600 block of 54th Avenue East in Fife.
“We have to make sure the property is secure because in the past an unhoused population had been moving onto the property,” Young said.
He checked to ensure all entry points including the windows were secure before leaving.
Young later traveled to the 2300 block of North Levee Road in Tacoma. Two days prior, homeless individuals were notified to leave the area due to the Tribe’s Emergency Services Department cleanup efforts. He patrolled the region on foot, informing individuals of the cleanup operation that was scheduled to begin later in the day.
“We made contact with several individuals and provided them resources where they can get help,” Young said.
He later patrolled the parking garages of the Emerald Queen Casino & Hotel in Tacoma. While driving through, Young noticed a White Chrysler 300 with expired temporary tags. After checking the vehicle identification number, it came back clear.
Just before noon, Young drove around the Puyallup Reservation and different parts of Fife patrolling the area and showing a police presence, which he said helps deter crime.
Young said his work gives him a great work/life balance. His typical schedule is four days on followed by three days off. While he does work 12-hour shifts from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., he said the flexibility of having three days off every week and the ability to schedule out vacation time is priceless. While Young does report to the office for the beginning of his shift, he hardly spends time in the building in Fife.
“Our cars are primarily our office,” Young said while working on his computer in his patrol car. “Of course, we do get out of the car and do foot patrols at our properties, but mainly we’re in the patrol car driving around the reservation.”
One day Young might be dealing with criminal activity or he might be working with Fish & Wildlife. Doing different things every single day is something Young said he enjoys about his role.
“Our jobs as officers are very diverse,” he said. “It’s not the same every single day. It makes the days go by fast.”
Young has worked in his current role with the Tribe for the past four years. The 30-year-old, who is a member of the Chugach Tribe (Alaska), said compassion, understanding people and how they operate is essential in order to succeed in the role.
“We usually come across people on the worst day of their lives. It takes compassion and we don’t have to arrest everybody,” Young said. “My goal is to ultimately get them the help they need.”
