Tribe names police chief

PLUMMER - The Coeur d'Alene Tribe recently named Cody SiJohn as the new chief of police for the Coeur d'Alene Tribal Police Department.

"Cody brings a wonderful depth and breadth of experience to this job that will help him to guide our tribal police force," said Coeur d'Alene Tribe Chairman Chief Allan.

SiJohn said he looks forward to maintaining a good working relationship with surrounding law-enforcement agencies. He said cooperation is the best way to protect the community.

"This department is home for me - I grew up here and I started my law enforcement career as a patrol officer here," he said.

SiJohn is a former U.S. Army infantry sergeant and served the majority of his time with the 101st Airborne Division. During his time in the Army, he was stationed in California, Kentucky and South Korea.

He served in the multi-national force and observers peace-keeping tour in Sinai, Egypt, and was stationed for 14 months in South Korea.

Upon leaving the Army, SiJohn was hired by the Coeur d'Alene Tribal Police Department, where he started in 2002. He was cross-deputized with Benewah County, Kootenai County and the city of Plummer.

"His previous experience in our department, combined with the fact that he is a member of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe gives him a strong understanding of our local and regional issues," Allan said.

Since 2007, SiJohn served as a training sergeant for the Bureau of Indian Affairs U.S. Indian Police Academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, in Artesia, N.M.

While working for the BIA, SiJohn received training and instructor certifications in law-enforcement instruction, use-of-force instructor, driving instructor, firearms instructor, and less-than lethal ammunition instructor, and backcountry tactics and tracking instructor.

From 2008 to 2009, SiJohn was detailed to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, instructing newly hired federal officers assigned to U.S. Border Patrol, Federal Air Marshals, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Park Police.

SiJohn is a graduate of Lakeside High School. His wife, Denise, also works in law enforcement. They have two daughters.