About 100 people turned out for a ribbon-cutting ceremony June 14 at the new Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Justice Center in Blyn, located in the tribe’s main campus just off of Highway 101.

Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney James Kennedy, Sheriff Joe Nole and County Commissioner Greg Brotherton, along with their counterparts in Clallam County, were among those who spoke. They all emphasized the partnership between the tribe and the two counties, especially that of their law enforcement.

The idea of partnership was also reflected in the performance of a S’Klallam song, led by Port Gamble tribal member Joe Price. The chorus translates to “together we are singing strong.”

“I am quite hopeful that the partnership that has resulted in this facility will help us define what justice means and looks like today,” said Jamestown S’Klallam Chairman and CEO W. Ron Allen. “I think you’re going to see a lot more of this kind of collaboration.”

Even though the tribe’s biggest partnership is with Clallam County and their law enforcement in particular, Allen made it clear the partnership in justice extends to Jefferson County.

After the ribbon cutting, the crowd spilled into the center and toured the new building, which still smelled of freshly cut wood and new paint. At the center of the facility sits the courtroom. The courtroom furnishings will be mobile so the room can also function as a classroom, conference room or command center during emergency operations.

The tribe will continue to use attorneys and judges from the Northwest Indian Court System (NICS) for their trials, and the Fish and Game Enforcement court will continue in this new space.

Up until now, tribal court was held in the council chambers and other conference rooms in the community center across Highway 101.

“We had a lot of people stuffed into a small room during our court sessions,” said tribal elder and councilman Kurt Grinnell. “We made do, we made it work, but it wasn’t that next level that we were seeking. This is the next level.”

The tribe plans to share their services with sister tribes such as Port Gamble. The tribe currently shares jurisdiction with the Clallam County Sheriff, with their cross-deputized deputies enforcing tribal law on tribal lands, and state law on county land.

Allen said they are one of the few tribes to have this type of law enforcement partnership.

“Our enforcement primarily deals with natural resource law enforcement, but now that we’re growing and need more capacity to deal with civil cases, and because of the violence against Indian women, the criminal cases that apply in regard to those violations now are under our jurisdiction,” he said.

The tribe aims to handle family court cases in this new facility, which include child custody, Indian Child Welfare, domestic violence, sexual assault, and elder abuse, cases that are currently handled by the Clallam County Superior Court. This will require tribal code revision, personnel training, and negotiations on required agreements with county and state officials.

Finally, the Children’s Advocacy Center will advocate for tribal children involved in domestic violence or sexual assault, connect them with local services offering aid in mental health, among other things, and will guide the children and their families along this path. It is operated in partnership with Healthy Families of Clallam County.

“We know that (the facility) is oversized for the level of cases that we actually handle, but it allows us to have growth without any problem,” Allen said.

And the tribe is certainly growing. During the interview, Allen motioned out past the center to the large clearing surrounding it, which was razed last year for the construction.

The speakers at the ceremony had to speak over the sounds of saws and hammers from the shell of a cannabis store set to open this fall, and the $40 million 4-star resort being added onto the 7 Cedars Casino just down Highway 101. They are resuming their oyster farming operation in Dungeness Bay, and bought over 60 acres for oyster and Manila clam farming in Dabob Bay. The tribe is also connecting to Sequim’s wastewater treatment plant. They are planning a substance abuse facility in Sequim with a focus on opiate addiction treatment, and are looking to expand their dental and medical services.

“We have about 18,000 patients right now, and we have a lot more need than that,” Grinnell said. “Jamestown is growing fast, and one of our biggest issues is space,” Grinnell said.