Minnesota Part of New Effort Aimed at Missing Native Americans

Minneapolis (KROC AM News) - Minnesota has one of the highest number of missing and murdered Native Americans in the country and a new effort has been announced that supporters hope will address the problem.

Federal prosecutors in Minnesota and 10 other states will work with the FBI to form a more coordinated law enforcement response to missing cases. The plan also calls for the deployment of the FBI’s most advanced response capabilities when needed, improved data collection and analysis, and training to support local response efforts.

“Minnesota ranks within the top 10 states with the highest number of MMIP cases. This is unacceptable,” said United States Attorney Erica MacDonald. “We are designating an MMIP coordinator who will develop and implement protocols and procedures to respond to MMIP cases. The addition of this critical resource will significantly enhance collaboration between tribal, state, and federal agencies and bring hope to families and communities that have lost a loved one.”

“American Indian and Alaska Native people suffer from unacceptable and disproportionately high levels of violence, which can have lasting impacts on families and communities. Native American women face particularly high rates of violence, with at least half suffering sexual or intimate-partner violence in their lifetime. Too many of these families have experienced the loss of loved ones who went missing or were murdered,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “This important initiative will further strengthen the federal, state, and tribal law enforcement response to these continuing problems.”