By Shaun Scott, Puyallup Tribal News
When Puyallup Tribal Member Jeff Berys joined the Puyallup Tribal Police Department on Dec. 5, 1985, smartphones didn’t exist and floppy disks were prevalent throughout offices across the country.
Fast forward to present day society and Berys is still with the police department where every officer has a smartphone in their pocket and a computer in their vehicle. Berys will celebrate 40 years of service with the Tribal Police Department in December.
Berys landed his first position with the Tribal Police Department as a dispatcher when he was just 18 years old. It didn’t take long for the Chief Leschi Schools alumnus to rise through the ranks. He became a fisheries officer in 1987 and was a patrolman in the early 1990s. He was promoted to sergeant in 1993 and became a lieutenant in 1997.
Close to three decades later, Berys remains a lieutenant for the Puyallup Tribal Police Department. He said he’s seen a lot of employee turnover over the past 40 years, but changing departments is something he’s never considered.
“I stayed here and worked for my Tribe because I enjoy the community. It is nice to know you can drive around and say, ‘Hey there is John and there is Frank,’” Berys said. “I know everybody and everybody knows me. I like that. It makes me feel like this is home.”
Berys said he likely would have never became a police officer if it wasn’t for a 1982 encounter with a Pierce County deputy. A then 15-year-old Berys found himself in the back of a police car after being caught riding a motorcycle illegally.
“I was a street kid and was kind of wild. I got to see what it was like to be in the back of the car and in jail as a juvenile. I knew I didn’t want to be that person,” Berys said. “I told myself that day I would rather be sitting in his seat instead of this backseat. It was at that point I knew I wanted to be a cop. I was going to be the guy in the front seat.”
Berys said the Tribal Police Department has grown drastically since the late 1980s and early 1990s.
“We only had three police officers then and now we have around 30,” he said.
The 58-year-old Berys said he plans to work for six more years before retiring. He credits his wife and children for supporting him throughout his journey.
“They know I care about this community and they know I love this job,” Berys said.
With no two days alike as a police officer, Berys said some days are more challenging than others.
“Some days you come to work and it’s an awesome day to be a cop. Then, there is the dark side of the job, seeing deaths and arresting people you know. It takes a toll on you over the years,” Berys said. “At the end of the day, every day is an adventure. You are constantly thinking about how you are going to help the community and keep it safe.”
Berys said he believes in community policing, aiming to create and foster relationships with the community he serves.
“You have to get out there and get to know the people,” he said. “It is so important to get to know the community, get networking and take care of the community.”
Berys said he thinks that type of approach has had a positive effect on the Tribal Police Department.
“I think that is why we’ve had a couple of officers to come work for us. They did a ride along with me and the community all knew me. They could see it was like a family thing, it is a bond. People that work at other police departments, I don’t think they get the same, ‘Hey, Berys, how are you doing?’ from the community like that,” he said.
Puyallup Tribal Police Chief Joe Duenas said Berys doesn’t only patrol the Puyallup Reservation and develop relationships with the community, but also credited him for working diligently with Tribal staff to bring grant funding to the department this year.
“Lieutenant Berys worked with the Grants Department on both the FEMA-THSGP grant as well as the Washington State Traffic Safety grant. His knowledge and expertise assisted the Tribe in bringing the FEMA grant award to the police department. The total approximate budget of $952,000 awarded to the Tribe will help strengthen the Tribes communication infrastructure, which will allow our officers the ability to have better radio service for years to come,” Duenas said. “Lieutenant Berys also was instrumental for his work on the Washington State Traffic Safety grant. This grant awarded funding from the state to bring additional equipment to the Tribe to enhance traffic safety in our community.”
