Part One: Officer Sarah Boggs and the Duty of a Shoalwater Bay Police Officer. 

At the beginning of 2023, the Shoalwater Bay Tribe is still in recovery mode after the disintegration of its Police Department. Today, out of the five original survivors of the events of 2018-2019, two have completely left the police profession, one has entered politics as Pacific County Sheriff, a fourth officer no longer works for the Tribe: leaving just one survivor of a shattered Police Force.  

Like the other officers who weathered the storm in the wake of a workplace scandal, Sarah Boggs is a hard-working long-term Shoalwater Bay employee. Similar to other tribal officers, Sarah found herself in a bad situation with limited options. Resigning her position was one, another being fired or forced out, and lastly, choosing to enter a prolonged struggle within a dysfunctional workplace. Boggs chose the latter out of dedication to the Tribe, feeling she could make a difference. 

Additionally, within a poor workplace environment, a series of similar problems have bubbled up from time to time to the present, with devastating effects against our tribal people and employees, yet are not as well known, understood, and documented. The police scandal gained media attention because, without Tribal Council knowledge or approval, the administration brought in Washington State Internal Affairs investigators; not realizing that all the Tribe's business would be open to public, media, and outside government discovery. At the same time skirting the Shoalwater Bay Constitution, checks and balances that our ancestors put in place to protect the individual rights, community well-being, and interests of a Sovereign Tribal Nation. 

When the Police scandal hit, officer Sarah Boggs was three and a half years into her tenure as a Shoalwater Bay Police officer. During this time the Human Resources department and administration often cooperated with managers to squash dissent, referenced by internal affairs investigators on page forty-five. When HR receives an employee complaint these concerns usually go directly to their manager, who, more than not, disciplines the employee who reported the departmental problem.  

It was Sarah's experience that workplaces at Shoalwater Bay tacitly enforce a harsh reaction against employees who voice concerns, and she remained silent as a result, see page eight. For nearly four years Sarah did her best to accept and live with the poor workplace culture and cope with what she viewed as inequality, bias, and, at times, unethical behavior. Sarah kept her head down and remained silent about what she had witnessed within the Shoalwater Bay workplaces, because, as Sarah said, "the old HR guy would just call down" and inform against her and "then you would get in trouble," as Sarah told the State Internal Affairs investigators.

Findings:

A Workplace Culture that Discourages Reporting Concerns: Workplaces at Shoalwater Bay have a history of harshly treating employees who voice concerns, driving many to remain silent rather than face negative consequences. The Human Resources department and administration often cooperate with managers to discourage dissent. In many cases when HR receives a complaint the employee's concern is directly sent to their manager, who, more than not, disciplines the employee who reported the departmental problem. 

Article Documentation Basis: Tribal News in Perspective: A fact-based editorial on Shoalwater Bay Tribal News based on documents, interviews, and evidence. Page numbers and quotations come from the main source used: Washington State Patrol. Internal Affairs Investigator James Riley. Case #: OU18-1445. Recorded and Transcribed Statements: Shoalwater Bay Tribal Officer Sarah Boggs, October 19, 2018.