Chief Auerbach a native Arizonan from Nogales, is a graduate of the Phoenix Police Department’s Regional Training Academy in 1980, has over 40-years of law enforcement service and has proudly served the Salt River Police Department now on his 32nd year.  Chief Auerbach has served as an Officer, Field Training Officer, SWAT Team Member, Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Assistant Chief of Police, Acting Chief of Police and the last  7 years now as the Salt River Police Department’s Chief of Police.

The Salt River Police Department is the 12th largest Police Department by staffing in Arizona and is the 2nd largest out of 574 Federally recognized Indian Communities within the USA.  The Salt River Police Department’s dedicated team of 217 Police Professionals provide Policing Excellence to the over 650,000 persons daily conducting business, enjoying entertainment venues and traveling within the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community’s 90 square miles.

The Salt River Police Department is a fully Accredited Police Department through the Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (ALEAP), was the first within Indian Country Jurisdiction in Arizona and the USA to become fully Accredited and also becoming Certified by the US DOJ for Safe Policing for Safe Communities Program, also the first within Indian Country Jurisdiction in Arizona and the USA.

Chief Auerbach was the Case Agent in the first successful Federal prosecution of a criminal street gang utilizing the Federal Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) statute.  Chief Auerbach was recognized by the U.S. Attorney General, Janet Reno, receiving the prestigious “William French Smith” Award for his efforts in this RICO case.  Chief Auerbach is the Co-Founder of the Salt River Police Department’s Police Explorer Post, established in 1994 it was the first Police Department within Indian Country Law Enforcement in the USA to begin a Police Explorer Post.  Chief Auerbach is the Founder of the Indian Country Intelligence Network (ICIN), created in 1994, to establish a State-wide collaborative partnership between all 21 Indian Tribes to enhance communication and strengthen relationships with neighboring jurisdictions, law enforcement and criminal justice partners. Today, ICIN organizations are also found in California, Nevada, New Mexico and Washington.