Montana Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force State-Tribal Relations Interim Committee UPDATE March 5, 2020
Current Montana Missing Indigenous Person Task Force Members • Presiding Officer : Melissa Schlichting • Fort Peck : Patt Iron Cloud Runs Through • Fort Belknap : Vacant • Blackfeet : Mark Pollock, Sarah Wolf Tail (alternate) • Rocky Boy : Vacant • Confederated Salish & Kootenai : LeEllen Bundy McLeod • Little Shell : Iris Kill Eagle • Northern Cheyenne : Brandi Beckman, Theresa Small (alternate) • Crow : Valerie Falls Down • Indian Health Services : Dr. Steve Williamson, LeeAnn Bruised Head (alternate) • U.S. Attorney’s Office : Jared Cobell • Montana Highway Patrol : Derek Werner • Montana Dept. of Justice : Misty LaPlant • Coordinator : Tina Chamberlain
MMIP Task Force Meetings • June 10, 2019 – Helena • August 10, 2019 – Great Falls • September 27, 2019 – Billings • October 15, 2019 – Conference Call • November 15, 2019 – Great Falls • December 19, 2019 –Conference Call • February 6-7, 2020 – Billings – Two-day Meeting Next Task Force Meeting will be held in in April in Great Falls
Concerns from Community Listening Sessions 1. Limited law enforcement resources – lack of adequate personnel 2. Lack of standardized protocols when person is reported missing 3. Lack of communication: a. Between law enforcement and families b. Between agencies – law enforcement and child protective services 4. Lack of accountability of system-based agencies
Community Listening Sessions October 15, 2019 – Crow Agency November 12, 2019 – Crow Agency November 20, 2019 – Northern Cheyenne & Lame Deer December 3, 2019 – Blackfeet December 5, 2019 – Little Shell January 15, 2020 – Confederated Salish & Kootenai January 22, 2020 – Missoula Urban Indian Center/Payne Center February 6, 2020 – Billings Urban Indian/Billings City College March 12, 2020 – Helena March 16, 2020 - Indigenous Movements Interchange, Billings March 25, 2020 – Fort Peck March 26, 2020 – Fort Belknap April 2020 - Bozeman
Draft Recommendations 1. Establish Missing Persons Response Teams for Each Community – similar to child abduction response teams a. Team Coordinator – understands the tribal/non-tribal agencies involved; connection to law enforcement with ability to determine scope of how the person went missing and when to call in appropriate resources b. Family Liaison – acts as buffer with media, communicates any information from law enforcement, provides resources and referrals (i.e. mental health services, tribal healer, spiritual leader) c. Search and Rescue Units o Volunteer Search Coordinator o Mobile Command Unit o Resources: ATVs, drones, dogs, helicopters, safety officers, thermal imaging equipment o Food and lodging, clothing and gear
Draft Recommendations (cont.) 2. Missing Persons Investigators to assist local law enforcement on the ground 3. Establish a Missing Indigenous Persons Review Team – based on Montana Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission and Montana Native American Domestic Violence Fatality Review Commission a. Identify gaps in Montana’s state and tribal systems for finding missing Native Americans b. Identify ways to improve multi-agency coordination c. Identify recommendations to the Legislature to improve results in missing person cases 4. Continue the work of the MMIP Task Force and continued funding for the LINC program
Looping in Native Communities Grant Program Met with Tribal College Presidents in October Released the LINC Database solicitation on November 1 and again on December 19, 2019 Extended application deadline to January 25, 2020 Blackfeet Community College was the only applicant Task Force reviewed and scored application on February 7, 2020 Task Force voted to award grant funds to the applicant Met with the project team at the tribal college; provided some training on existing database systems and provided technical assistance for grant implementation and management Currently drafting grant award documents with intent to award $25,000 to Blackfeet Community College by March 15 Project timeline is March 15, 2020 to June 30, 2021
Grant Project Next Steps Develop a Tribal Resolution with Blackfeet Tribal Council to ensure support for the project Develop agreements with Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and with Glacier County Sheriff’s Department Blackfeet Tribe will be considered the Pilot/Initial Phase of the Project Project Team has developed a public website. They will begin adapting the website to include a reporting form based on requirements in SB312 Hire a Data Specialist to work with the public when completing the form and provide notification to law enforcement Develop protocols on when to make a missing person public on the website, when to remove a person that has been found Develop protocols on how to alert law enforcement and community organizations when a person is entered as missing into the new system
Grant Project Next Steps (cont.) Provide outreach and training to students and community members about the new system Quarterly financial and narrative reports to Montana Dept. of Justice Phase II Work with other tribal colleges to add them to the LINC database system Develop relationships with tribal, BIA, and county law enforcement in each community to establish notification protocols Identify protocols for any notifications where families do not want to report to law enforcement but want the public to know Consider verified and unverified information to be listed on the project website Phase III Develop a phone app for push notifications to provide notice to the public when a Native American goes missing in Montana
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