Police chief retires again

Chief Rick Balam, who came out of retirement last year to lead the Swinomish Police Department through a turbulent period as the former police chief was prosecuted for theft, has put away his badge again.

Former chief Thomas Schlicker pleaded guilty to stealing tribal funds and was sentenced to 16 months in prison on Nov. 10.

Balam, who was the police chief decades ago, came back to work for the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community last September after Schlicker was fired to lead the department and to investigate the allegations against Schlicker throughout his prosecution.

“With his goals accomp...