Deputy Secretary of the Interior Kate MacGregor visits Gila River Police Department

May 8, 2026

Jeston Morris

Community Newsperson

SACATON, Ariz. — Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis welcomed Deputy Secretary of U.S. Department of the Interior Kate MacGregor for a tour of the Gila River Police Department on April 15.

MacGregor was born and raised in Pennsylvania and studied history and classics at University of Pennsylvania. She joined the Department of Interior in 2017 and was confirmed as deputy secretary in 2020. According to the Interior Department, she has led efforts to expand energy production and streamline permitting process for states and tribal governments.

Gov. Lewis and MacGregor arrived midmorning at the police department, where acting Chief William Lewis began the tour in the lobby. Community Council Representative Lalena Jackson met with MacGregor before the group visited the department’s chronological history hall, which features art, photographs, and written displays.

The tour continued through the state of the art kitchen, and a gym room. The kitchen includes a glass garage door and a large dining and cooking area. The gym features modern fitness equipment and free weights, and the matted wrestling room is used for defensive tactics training.

The final stop was the department’s forensic lab and communications dispatch center. The lab analyzes and temporarily stores crime evidence, with a warehouse available for long term storage. The communications center integrates dispatch services for police, fire, and emergency medical response, using advanced computer systems with multiple screens on adjustable desks.